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.
When did the first people arrive in the area of present-day Latvia (LV)?
The earliest people settled in the territory of Latvia when the last ice sheet had melted and the first simple flora and fauna had developed...
How do you make linen out of flax (NL)?
Flax is an annual plant which grows to 60 - 100 cms. The length of the plant is important because it equals the length of the fibres. The plant blossoms with white or light blue flowers. After the blossoming, small seed boxes remain...
Where did medieval people go to the toilet (NL)?
In the Middle Ages, every house needed to have a secrete (toilet). Ordinary folk usually had it in their back yard. Underneath, a hole was dug which regularly needed to be emptied. The contents was used by farmers as fertiliser...
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...
What weapons were used in battle by the people inhabiting the lake fortress (LV)?
The people living in the lake fortress used the characteristic close combat and missile weapons of the Viking Age. Missile weapons included the bow, with iron-tipped arrows, as well as the javelin and probably also the sling...
Which colours of ink were used in the Middle Ages when making a manuscript? How did they make this ink (NL)?
The most commonly used ink was black, dark brown or brown. One used for this Arabic gum, different minerals (including iron), soot, ash et cetera...
In the Iron Age, how many people lived in one house (NL)?
About 10 people, a family group with not just mom and dad and the kids, but as well aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces et cetera. People did not get old in those days; averagely maximum 35 years. The child death rate was high as well - that is why the families were not that large.
Are the things in the living quarters of the chieftain’s longhouse at Borg authentic (NO)?
About 90% of the things in the living quarters are copies of things found from the Viking era. The rest have been made as we think they must have looked, based on old texts and our own practical experiences...
Women in prehistory surely wore jewellery. What about men (CZ)?
This differed through times and regions but also within different social groups. We often find in male graves, especially rich ones, ornaments, for example torques and necklaces...
When did people start to cook in prehistory (I mean more complicated meals, not just roasting or drying) (CZ)?
We cannot say for sure. We presume cooking from the Neolithic on when they started to use ceramic vessels – they prepared various gruels or soups, but it was possible...