Twee Nehalennia-altaren, pl. XV 1843 - 1845

Tiemen Hooiberg made this print of two Nehalennia altars sometime in the 19th century. Hooiberg, active in a period of burgeoning historical interest, captured these votive stones dedicated to Nehalennia, a goddess venerated in the Roman province of Germania Inferior. The altars reveal the interwoven identities within the Roman Empire. Nehalennia, a local deity, became syncretized with Roman religious practices, embodying the cultural interactions of the time. The inscriptions, rendered in Latin, underscore the language of the Roman administration and the elite, while the goddess herself speaks to the persistence of indigenous spiritual beliefs. The altars served as sites of exchange and gratitude, reflecting the hopes and fears of individuals navigating a world shaped by trade, cultural exchange, and imperial power. They remind us that identity is not a fixed entity, but is negotiated and shaped by historical, cultural, and personal forces.