Students get a look at Roman ruins at Wiesbaden (before it's paved over)

[unhappycamper]

Students get a look at Roman ruins at Wiesbaden
By Mark Patton, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Monday, December 7, 2009

WIESBADEN, Germany — Schoolchildren got a glimpse of an ancient farming village on Friday before it is paved over to make way for military homes.

The Roman ruins at Wiesbaden Army Airfield are on the site of a planned $133 million Army Corps of Engineers housing project. The village, dating to the 1st or 2nd century, was discovered when digging on the site began earlier this year, and archaeologists have been unearthing treasures such as pottery, roof tiles, and a Roman coin since summer.

Carola Murray-Seegert, a teacher at Frankfurt International School, guided more than 80 children from Wiesbaden Middle School and Aukamm Elementary School through the muddy ruins, explaining the history of the Roman empire in the area and the significance of the finds.

"It was pretty cool to see a Roman ruin, and it was extra cool to see a buried farm from the 1st century," said Wiesbaden Middle School student Jenna Eidem.

The students got their turn at playing archaeologist, imagining what life was like for the Romans. "I would never survive as a Roman," said seventh-grader Cassidy Honish.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=66511

[DrDan]

1. why would the German gov't allow this? This makes no sense.

[PavePusher]

2. It's Europe.

Roman ruins (and ruins both older and younger), you can't swing a cat without hitting 'em.