In recent feld seasons, which proceeded from 2002 to 2004, not only the huge necropolis but also the appropriate Villa at Duppach-Weiermühle have been explored. These exploration took place as a joint adventure between the students of the Institute of Archaeology and the students of the Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology under the direction of P. Henrich. The Excavation is to regard as paradigm for sucessful cooperation between the University of Cologne, archaeological Museums and the „Department of preservation and care of feld monuments“ (Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier). Especially the discovery of a monumental head of a griffn, which decorated formely a grave monument, gained the attention of televison, radio and press and caused supraregional publicity.
While the frst campaign aimed to clarify the unclear evidence of the geophysical prospection the last two excavtions payed special attention to the grave monuments A and B, which is due to their prominent fnding context: not only the foundations, the fences and the inhumation context but also 1000 fragments of the architectural decor, the ash pits with grave goods and a depot with 53 terracotta-fgures have been found. The reconstructed height of 20 m as well as the numerous architectural decors show that these monuments did not rank behind the known grave monuments like that in Igel and Neumagen.
The present volume is based on an international colloquium held by the Institute of Archaeology of the University Cologne and the “Centre for Mediterranean Cultures” (German Abbrevation: ZaKMiRa). Their aim was not only the review but also the completion of the research results of the exploration in Duppach-Weiermühle by putting them in a larger context. On the one hand some articles represent the research results of the grave monuments A and B at Duppach-Weiermühle. On the other hand various contributions compare these monuments to other grave monuments in the “Treverer Land”, neighbouring regions and the North West Provinces dated to the 2nd and 3rd century in order to clarify their regional and supraregional signifcation. Lastly some contributions examine the connection between grave monuments and “villae”.