STUTTGART, GERMANY—Newsweek reports that a worn sandstone carving unearthed at the site of a Roman fort in southwestern Germany may represent a hybrid Romano-Germanic deity. Standing about 12 inches tall, the 1,800-year-old carving shows a kneeling figure with a human head. Its arms are positioned at the sides of the upper body, with its hands on the hips and legs. The legs, however, merge into the form of a snake, according to archaeologist Andreas Thiel of the Baden-Württemberg State Office for Monument Preservation. “Due to the weathering and the poor quality of the stone, the snakes on our piece are unfortunately very difficult to see,” he said. “This was of course easier to recognize in ancient times due to the colorful painting,” he added. The figure may have been part of a so-called Jupiter Column that was unearthed in the area some 100 years ago. The column, which would have been topped with a statue of the Roman deity, is thought to have stood at an intersection in the Roman settlement. To read about the discovery of a temporary Roman military camp in southwestern Germany, go to "Caesar's Gallic Outpost."
