Nehalennia-altaar 1647

Hendrick Danckerts made this engraving of the Nehalennia altar in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-17th century. It represents an altar dedicated to the goddess Nehalennia. This image is not simply a faithful record, it's also a product of its time. During the Dutch Golden Age, there was increased interest in classical antiquity, and the rediscovery of Roman artifacts in the Netherlands fueled a sense of national identity connected to its ancient past. This engraving participates in that cultural moment, linking the Netherlands to the Roman Empire through the figure of Nehalennia, a local goddess worshipped in the region during Roman times. By depicting the altar, Danckerts visually connects the Dutch landscape with a rich historical narrative. The text inscribed on the altar, typical of Roman votive offerings, reinforces this connection to antiquity, lending the image an air of scholarly authenticity. To fully understand the image, one would want to delve into the archeological records of the time, as well as the prevailing cultural attitudes toward the classical world in the 17th-century Netherlands.