Grüssinger:Das Mass ist die Wissenschaft

Modern archaeology has many facets. This is once again demonstrated by the commemorative publication for Hans-Joachim Schalles, the Xanten scholar and long-time museum director. Archaeologists closely connected to the deceased present a mysterious Minerva, selected finds from excavations in the area of Colonia Ulpia Traiana (Xanten), and the recently discovered decorative fitting of a Roman sword sheath from the Netherlands. What function did a mysterious tunnel have in the Roman city wall of Cologne, and what lies behind a small group of Roman graves north of the Colonia? We learn interesting facts about the beginnings of the Xanten collection of antiquities, surprising details about the contents of the medieval Victor shrine in the Xanten Cathedral, and get to know archaeological holiday courses that archaeologists organized for teachers in the German Empire. The commemorative publication, which focuses on the archaeology of the Roman province of Lower Germania, the history of reception, and the preservation of archaeological sites, reflects the diverse research interests of Hans-Joachim Schalles.