House of Questions
Delphi House of Questions was an EU Culture 2000 project by three EXARC members. Under this umbrella, other EXARC members as well collected and answered the most frequently asked questions by visitors to archaeological open-air museums. The largest part of this collection of questions you can find here – as many of them still carry importance. In most cases we offer the questions both in the original language and in English. With several questions you will find illustrations by Savannah Parent.
Why was Araisi built on an island in the lake (LV)?
Āraiši lake fortress was built and inhabited in the Viking Age (9th–10th cent. AD) by the Latgallians, one of the ancient Baltic groups. In the middle and second half of the...
How did the cavemen know that it is possible to make tools from flint (CH)?
At least 2 million years ago, the early people started to use stones as tools. At first they used complete rocks as hammer, for example to open animal bones with to get to the tasty marrow...
How come it is so dark in prehistoric houses (NL)?
The prehistoric houses as reconstructed in Archeon have small or no windows. Most light enters through the door and the smoke holes under the roof. Besides this, the open fire gives some light. Honestly, we do not know...
Did people bathe in the early Middle Ages (NL)?
Roman baths were still used and maintained in some places at the beginning of the early Middle ages. In monasteries there were sometimes baths too...
What kinds of people were working in the castle (NL)?
A castle could have different functions. In most cases, it was the building from which the neighbouring territory was controlled. This could be a town, an important road or a larger area. Often soldiers were encamped, a garrison...
What tools were used to work mammoth tusks, bones and so on? Did people use special tools for prehistoric art (CZ)?
We do not know about any special tools or more exactly we cannot recognize them. Prehistoric craftspeople and artists probably used tools common to their time; of course they could have had their own tools made especially for such use...
What kind of jewellery did people wear in the Middle Ages (NL)?
Well, that depended on who you were. There were large differences in classes, between farmers, civilians, clergymen and the nobility.
Often jewellery was about your profession (if you were a man)...
What did the people of the lake fortress eat (LV)?
The islanders’ diet was very diverse – cereals, turnips, the meat of hunted and domestic animals, milk, eggs and fish. Vegetable oil was obtained from linseed and the seeds of gold-of-pleasure...
Were the people in the Iron Age in Poland religious (PL)?
It is very difficult to reconstruct the beliefs of people back then on the base of what we found. Besides that, we can only imagine if religion was all pervasive or not that important...
What did Romans use for toilet paper (NL)?
Papyrus was probably the only type of paper the Romans used, but for cleaning their behinds the Romans had a softer option. A sponge on a stick was the easy solution to this pressing problem...