European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 27, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A 13-Stone Arch is All that remains of an entry Gate to 1st Century roman Cologne. Is by Richard Haydan Ceramic roman Oil lamp at Cologne s roman germanic museum decorated with a gladiatorial scene depicting death in the Arena. Is by de Reavis ancient Glass Ceramic objects displayed on a roman mosaic floor. Etta by Richard Haydan staff writer Here Are ghosts in Cologne. Passionate lovers locked in a perpetual embrace. Vicious gladiators in perpetual combat. A Young woman plucking a Flower that never Withers. These Are some of the ghosts of the mighty roman Empire. Their crumbling carved out lines haunt the roman germanic museum in Cologne reminders that no Empire is eternal. The Romisch Germani Sches museum dedicated to Stu dying the 500-year roman Empire was born in the death throes of another Empire. Adolf Hitler s Short lived thousand year  in 1941, four years before Hitler s Empire crumbled workers digging a bomb shelter for the Cologne Cathedral uncovered a 22-by-34-foot roman mosaic from 8 . The remains turned out to be a Large roman Villa s dining room floor an intricate mosaic celebrating the mythological roman god of wine  revelry Complete with satyrs  Maidens. Today the Dionysus mosaic one of the museum s prize exhibits rests exactly where it was found protected by a stunning modern building which was completed in 1974. The museum covers roughly the same area As the orig Inal roman Villa. It is in the vortex of downtown Cologne. With the Cathedral  the Central train station adjacent  brightly lit shops All about pedestrians  traffic swirl  Eddy around the museum creating a constant  Broad Plaza in front of the museum is used for con certs Folk festivals  exhibits. From the outside the building leaps into focus. A col Lection of simple balanced horizontal rectangles the museum is a Stark contrast to the tall intricate Spires of its gothic neighbor Cologne s Cathedral. But inside the same simplicity enhanced by Large windows  Broad expanses of open space is an unobtrusive backdrop to the examples of roman Art  architecture. Cologne was an important roman outpost  More than 85 per cent of the pieces on exhibit come from digs within the City s limits said or. Hans Gerd Helle Kemper of the museum s excavation department. A 13-Stone Arch is All that remains of an entry Gate of 1st Century roman Cologne which stood about 30 feet tall  was topped by columns soaring another 25  Arch is surrounded by other examples of columns Gables  Stone  roman Cologne was a Glass producing Center the museum boasts a Fine collection including win flasks  ornaments Helle Kemper said. One of the most Beautiful examples of roman Glass makers skill Isa miniature bust of emperor Augustus. A collection of Ceramic Oil lamps provides a pict rebook of roman life in ancient Cologne. The lamps hands a by Richard Haydan mosaic depicts Dionysus god of wine left. Page 14 the stars  stripes  tourist office ghosts of an ancient Empire stalk the Ultra modern museum in downtown Cologne on the site of a 22-by-34-foot roman mosaic from 8 . Tuesday september 27, 1977 ba�saegganrjj��a�iama�gc8t" f carved images capture scenes of eroticism bloody Bat Les in the Arena  tranquil images of nature. Many artefacts come from ancient grave Sites. Death Cults played an important role in roman civilization because Many of the subjects of the eternal City believed in their eternal life. Each cult dealt with its dead differently. Some buried or cremated their dead. Others entombed them in a Stone  Bottom floor of the museum has a room dedicated to these Cults. It is the Only room in the museum with Black Walls. Softly lit Glass cases hold cremation urns while a Large Stone Sphinx guards a Stone sarcophagus. But no matter what the ceremonies cultists All believed that by Faith in the god of life they could overcome death  live again a life which they imagined to be no different from life in this world. At the funeral the living celebrated a family banquet As if the deceased were still with   in the next life dead were often buried with earthly necessities including clothes utensils food water  even Money to bribe Charon the avaricious old oarsman who ferried newly arrived dead across the River styx to the underworld. Ironically these efforts brought them another kind of immortality. The Beautiful woman of Stone is still Beautiful. The Strong men of the Arena Are still healthy. The Young lovers have not grown old. By studying the remnants of their Way of life it is Possi ble to understand their Hopes  dreams were probably no different from ours. Then they live again at least in thought the stars  stripes Page 15