Archaeologists are continuing efforts to protect a Roman villa site located close to planned construction works to expand the Schieren bypass.
For years, motorists using the Schieren bypass have been able to see the excavation area situated directly beside the roadway.
Construction to widen the B7 to two lanes in each direction between Schieren and Ettelbruck is scheduled to begin in September. The project will start with the building of a new viaduct in Schieren and is expected to last three years,
The excavations are covered with plastic sheeting before they are backfilled
This process involves reburying the uncovered and recorded remains, but it is far more careful than simply piling soil back on top.
Because the structures are extremely delicate, they are first protected with a geo-textile layer. A layer of sand is then added, followed by the final covering of soil. Steffestun explained that the sand serves a specific purpose: “We call it an indicator layer. If someone excavates this area again in the future, the sand clearly signals that something important lies beneath.”
One shovel at a time
Asked whether it is disheartening to see carefully excavated remains disappear underground again, the archaeologists agree that this approach is ultimately the best option.
“Once it is backfilled, I know the villa is as well protected as possible,” said Steffestun. Rudolf Sebastian, who is supervising the work on site, shares this view: “Ideally, it would never have been excavated at all. This is the next best solution.”
However, backfilling is a slow and highly controlled process. While transporting the soil is relatively straightforward, applying it safely is not. Some of the earth comes from the construction of the new tunnel at Ettelbrück railway station, where the N7 is set to run from 2028.
The soil is delivered by truck to the villa site, where small excavators spread it across designated areas. The final layer, however, is applied manually with shovels to prevent damage to the buried walls.
As a result, fully covering the entire site will take considerable time.
