DRAFT

Niederzier Hambach 69

Contributor: David Ratzan
Published: 2021-04-21
Modified: 2025-06-29

Location

Location Description

In the Hambacher Forst region, which lies approximately 30-35 km. west of the former capital city Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (mod. Cologne), a number of modest villae rusticae have been excavated.

Garden

Niederzier Hambach 69

Keywords

Garden Description

This villa rustica was situated west of Cologne in the same region as Hambach 59. It was built in the late 1st century A.D. and inhabited until the 4th century (Plan 1). The farm had a calculated overall area, including the cultivated land, of 50 hectares. The farm compound itself was one hectare in size. The modest house (A on plan) stood just inside the western border of the complex. Elsewhere on the property were various stables, barns, a pond and several wells.

To the east of the house was an area marked off by a narrow ditch (B on plan). This was probably a bedding trench for a protective hedge around a vegetable garden (G on plan). Palaeobotanical material, all of it carbonized, from deposits in wells and pits provide information on the field crops. Considerable amounts of charred chaff in a well in the eastern part of the farmyard suggest that a threshing area for the grain grown on the farm may have been situated near the well. The botanical remains indicate that spelt wheat was the main crop, followed by barley. The farmyard has hedge borders, the planting trenches for which were excavated. Within this area, fruit trees, oaks and alders as well as elderberry bushes possibly were planted.

Plans

Plan 1. Plan of the farm house (A) and the farmyard enclosed by a hedge (grey line). A vegetable garden (G) may have lain within another hedge (B).
Credit: Adapted from Gaitzsch 1986, fig. 5.

Dates

Late first century CE until the fourth century CE.

Bibliography

  • K.-H. Knörzer, "Veränderungen der Unkrautvegetation auf rheinischen Bauernhöfen seit der Römerzeit," Bonner Jahrbuch 184, 1984: 491-503. worldcat
  • W. Gaitzsch, "Grundformen römischer Landsiedlungen im Westen der CCAA," Bonner Jahrbuch 186, 1986: 397-427, fig. 5. worldcat

Places

Niederzier-Hambach 59.

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