A small prehistoric ceramic statuette from Mönchstockheim (municipality of Sulzheim, district of Schweinfurt, Lower Franconia) fascinates both specialists and the public. Only rarely do archaeological finds offer insights into the beliefs of cultures without writing systems. The archaeology of religion is therefore one of the most fascinating, but also most complex areas of prehistoric research. Archaeologists are using state-of-the-art methods to solve the mystery of the cult idol now known as the ‘water goddess’, which attracted a great deal of media attention. Is the figure female or male? Who does it represent? Does the figurine show a divine being or an ancestor? Why was it deposited over 2.500 years ago? What were the beliefs of the people who performed such acts of worship? 

The exhibition ‘The mystery of the water goddess - prehistoric cult in Franconia’ strives to provide answers to these and many other questions and takes us back to a time of enigmatic Iron Age cults and sacrificial customs.

Duration: 4th april to 20th july 2025