• Stone monuments
• A closer look – painted monuments
• Salvation religions
• The Roman gods
• The language of pictures
   

Stone monuments

Numerous stone monuments were erected during the Roman Empire. Roman altar stones, stones commemorating gods, gravestones, statues, and milestones have all been found in the Alpine region. These monuments bear images as well as inscriptions in Latin. Roman masons carved them from white limestone, mica slate, porphyr, quartz phyllite, or marble obtained from local quarries. The material used depended on the stone that was locally available. A Venus head from Mals was made of Greek marble and therefore must have been imported to the region.
  

A closer look – painted monuments

Close examination shows that the Roman altar stone from Mauls, which was dedicated to the god Mithras, was probably originally painted, since there are tiny particles of pigment on the surface of the stone. Painting stone sculptures was not unusual. Many antique statues and monuments were originally painted. However, the Mithras altar from Mauls was probably unfinished. In all probability it never stood at a holy site. The region lost importance due to border changes between the Roman provinces of Raetia and Nordicum in the 3rd or 4th century AD. The person who ordered the Mithras altar stone may have lost interest and never had it completed.
  

Salvation religions

In the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD,  salvation and mystery religions spread repeatedly through the crisis-ridden Roman Empire. These religions were rooted in the Orient and promised followers happiness and salvation in the afterlife. Soldiers, merchants, and slaves working in the Roman administrative organization spread the new beliefs far and wide. Followers were accepted into these religions in stages after undergoing initiation rites. Examples of salvation religions in the Alpine region included the veneration of the God Mithras and the Egyptian goddess  Isis. Several stone monuments from the southern Alpine valleys are dedicated to these gods.
  

The Roman gods

The Romans introduced new Gods into the Alpine region, most notably Jupiter, Juno, Minerva, Mercury, Diana, Neptune, Victoria and Mars. There was a god for nearly every human endeavour. Although there are relatively few altars and inscriptions commemorating these new gods in the southern Alpine region, small bronze statues of the gods were fairly common.
However, the indigenous population held onto their deep-rooted beliefs and continued to visit ancient religious sites, for example burnt offering sites. The indigenous gods were placed on an equal footing with the Roman gods. Amulets to fend off evil were commonplace.
  

The language of pictures

Roman inscriptions are an enormous help in understanding the lives of the people in Roman times and are imporant sources for archaeologists. The names and portraits of the dead suddenly start appearing on Roman gravestones. Inscriptions on milestones provide information about their builders and give precise distances to landmarks. Inscriptions on altar stones commemorate specific gods. Often the names of the donors and their function are given. They were frequently Romans who worked for the state. Many Roman generals, senators, civil servants, and emperors have been given a face thanks to portraits on gravestones, monuments and coins. In this way Roman images differ from pictures from earlier times, which didn’t represent anyone in particular.