Roman Wine Ship of Neumagen
Winegrowing in Germany dates back to the Romans, who began cultivating vines on the Mosel. The village of Neumagen-Dhron can look back on 2,000 years of winegrowing tradition and is considered the oldest wine village in Germany, because the Romans were also active in trade there in addition to their winegrowing activities.
In 1878, a large sculpture depicting a ship loaded with wine barrels was found in a prominent tomb of a Roman wine merchant from around 220 AD. The tomb was part of the foundation of the defensive wall of the late antique Roman fortress Noviomagus Treverorum. The original can be admired today in the Rhineland Regional Museum in Trier, but copies exist in Neumagen-Dhron. Only four such burial monuments have been found. They prove how old the winegrowing and wine-trading tradition is, at least in this region. Rowing ships were used to transport wine barrels as far as Gaul and other parts of Germania. In 2007, trainees from the Trier Chamber of Crafts built an exact replica of the ship. The "Stella Noviomagi" is almost 18 metres long, 4.20 metres wide and is propelled by 22 oars. This makes it the largest floating replica of a Roman ship in Germany. Groups can charter the boat, a unique experience that also has sporting benefits. The ship is anchored in the harbour of Neumagen-Dhron.
