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.
How important was the individual in the Middle Ages (NL)?
A possible answer is to be found at Nisbet:"as one of the points of calibration of Nisbet's vision on history, the transition between the Middle Ages and the Modern Era stands, in which both should be less seen as easy discernible...
How tall did people get in the early Middle Ages (NL)?
A graveyard from the Merovingian era (470-750) gave an average height for men of 174 cm. Skeletons from a graveyard in Susteren from the Carolingian age (750-900) resulted in an average height of 172.5 cm. According to Statistics Netherlands, Dutch men...
Did the prehistoric children play with glass marbles (NL)?
Yes and no. Marbles were used for playing as long as we know of. In Egypt and Pre Colombian America, marbles were used, made of fired clay. Children used whatever material came to hand: polished stones, nuts et cetera...
Did people in prehistory already keep animals (NL)?
In the Old and Middle Stone Age (in the Netherlands about 250.000 - 7.300 years ago) the people were hunters & gatherers. They hunted for wild animals, but did not keep them themselves...
Were Trébuchets common in Denmark (DK)?
As far as we know, they were relatively common. None have survived till modern times, but they are mentioned regularly in written sources...
Did they have beds in the Early Middle Ages (NL)?
No beds are known from the Netherlands from the early Middle ages. In Oseberg and Gokstad (Norway) two beds were found. They look surprisingly modern: they even have a slatted bed base...
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...
Since when do people wear shoes (NL)?
The oldest preserved shoe is 9,000 years old. But research makes clear, the modern shoe can be between 26,000 and 40,000 years old, i.e. already in the Neanderthal Age. This is based upon research - not into shoes, but into feet. The shoes themselves have not been preserved that long...
Where were the inhabitants of the lake fortress buried (LV)?
The inhabitants of the lake fortress were buried in the flat cemetery on a hill on the north-eastern shore of Lake Āraiši near the Liepiņas farm. As part of the archaeological research on the Āraiši area, 168 female, male and children’s graves were...
Which colours did one have to ones disposal in the Iron Age and the Middle Ages (NL)?
In both eras, many colours were in use. Clothes were dyed, but houses as well and you name what more. The most difficult to get colours (dark ones) were also the most expensive ones...