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.
Did people already drink tea in the Middle Ages or Iron Age (NL)?
Drinking tea, why did people do that is the first question. Tea can be used as a medicine or as an intoxicating means. Besides that it serves as a ceremony. "Herbal tea" actually does not exist...
Did they already have fire extinguishers in the Middle Ages (NL)?
Nowadays, strict fire safety rules are set at parks like Archeon. Therefore, in all houses, we have fire extinguishers present. The city council in medieval times, however, already applied rules.
What kind of punishments did they know in the Middle Ages when you had done something wrong (NL)?
Medieval punishments were often quite gruesome and painful. One could simply be put in a block of shame, or much worse than that. Much needed to happen before they would for example cut off your hand, because that would mean...
Why do we find more stone artifacts than wood artifacts (CH)?
Wood is a material, which conserves poorly in the soil as it decays. Only in water the conservation is better, as the wood is sealed off from the air...
Wooden castles, did they at all exist (DE)?
Apart from the prehistoric and early medieval large castles, all the way into the High and Late Middle Ages, there were wooden castles. Partly these were, like...
How many people lived in the neolithic longhouse in Asparn (AT)?
One averagely has to count with a large family of up to 20 persons.
Why is Araisi settlement called a lake fortress (LV)?
It was established in the course of archaeological excavation (1965–1969; 1975–1979) that Āraiši lake fortress had been built on an island in the lake for defensive purposes and had been fortified in a similar manner to...
Which Gods were worshipped by the Romans (NL)?
Romans were very open minded about their religion. They worshipped a wide variety of divine entities. A household could give praise to an ancestor for protection and prosperity, whilst...
Did people use the calendar as we know of already in the Middle Ages (NL)?
The Romans had a calendar which consisted of 10 months, starting on March 1st and ending with December. In between was an unnamed winter period. The priests’ task was to determine the start of every new year...
Are there in the Czech Republic any excavations of modern battlefields (CZ)?
Yes, from the Thirty Years’ War. In 1989-90 and 1999-2004 a research excavation of a battlefield at Třebel in Western Bohemia took place. Below the castle of Třebel at the end of August, beginning of September 1647 the Swedish army led by general Wrangel clashed with the Imperial army led by general Melander...