European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 21, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Stone head of the roman god Jupiter found in Heidelberg. Of tuft Berg s Roma roots stories  photos by Andrew Cowin in april 1838, construction workers were digging foundations at the foot of the i Heiligenberg in Nevenheim across the Neckar from Heidelberg. They chanced upon an enormous carved Stone about eight feet Square a find that Galvani de scholarly interest in the Region s roman past. The Relief figures on the Block of local red Sandstone portrayed scenes from the life of mithras a. God of persian origin who was widely worshipped in the roman Empire in the first to third centuries. Unfortunately the Stone was removed hastily  it was discovered too late that work at the construction site had already resulted in the demolition  removal of much of the remains of a Small Wavelike Temple a so called Mithra Eum. To make matters worse further excavation at the site now at the Junction where Bergstrasser  the  meet was hindered by the sudden eruption of an adjoining Spring which rapidly turned the surroundings into a virtual swamp. Experts concluded however that the  had been sacked probably by Alemanni tribesmen who ravaged the roman settlement in . 260. The Nevenheim mithras Stone is of interest not Only because of its stature As a work of Art but also for the Light it casts on a cult that was for a time christianity s strongest competitor. At its Peak it had More than 100 temples in Rome alone. Mithras like Christ was supposedly born on dec. 25, albeit in More spectacular style by bursting out of a Mountain. This event is shown on a Small panel of the Stone whose main panel depicts mithras in his role of world redeemer killing a White Bull symbolizing evil so that Mankind might live. The followers of the persian Sun god celebrated this sacrifice by eating bread  wine. They also believed in the possibility of a Happy life after death. Mithras worshippers avoided the persecution suffered by christians. The Nevenheim Stone reveals that this was because they were Wise enough to incorporate the roman gods into their religion for Jupiter  Saturn both appear on a Side panel. The Advent of christianity As Rome s official state religion resulted in the death of the mithras cult. News of the discovery reached grand Duke Frederick of Baden who decided that the Stone should be displayed in his City of residence Karlsruhe. The Stone was moved there  has remained in its  to this Day. An excellent copy is on show in the  museum on Heidelberg s Haup Strasse. The discovery of the Stone led to More widespread excavations in the second half of the 19th Century which revealed much about roman settlements in  around Heidelberg. One of the earliest discoveries was the remains of a roman Bridge Over the Neckar about 450 feet downstream from the City s famed Stone Bridge. As Early As . 78 there was a wooden Bridge at the site it was replaced about 100 years later by an impressively Long More than 750 feet wooden Bridge resting on seven Stone piers. In 1876, after Many complaints of ships running aground on a Large Stone in the Neckar efforts were made to raise  remove this irritating hindrance. Ironically the culprit turned out to be the base of a statue of Neptune Patron god of sailors indicating that a Small Temple dedicated to this god had once stood on the Middle of the roman Bridge. On the City Side of the River it appears that there was a Temple dedicated to Jupiter next to a guardhouse. This Bridge was of tremendous strategic significance. Several roads leading from the South including a very important one from Strasbourg converged just before the Bridge. To the North roads extended toward Ladenburg Mainz  Worms. Nevenheim thus became an important military base  no less than seven fortified castles have been identified Between  Berliner Strasse. In roman times the present Day Ladenburger Strasse was the town s High Street with castles at either end to protect the main Gates. The town was surrounded by a thick defensive Wall with 16 towers. On the other Side of the River the Village of Bergheim the area surrounding the present Bergheimer Strasse in old Heidelberg s Center was another important settlement. Although the settlements must have derived a significant income from travellers they both bet Ami important Industrial centers. The main product of the continued on / Uli july 21, 1988 stripes Magazine 7