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.
What games did Roman children play (NL)?
A wide variety of Roman games are known. These games vary from the simple throwing of nuts in a pot (Orca), to Roman rugby (Harpastum) and even chariot races with two hoops on a stick.
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...
Did the people in the old days brush their teeth like we do (CH)?
The prehistoric people did not have the possibility to brush their teeth, because they obviously did not have toothpaste or toothbrushes. Besides that they did not know anything about teeth hygiene...
How heavy are the stones of a megalithic tomb (NL)?
There are both large and small megalithic tombs in Drenthe (NL). The largest is near Borger. The most heavy stones used for this one weigh about 23,000 kilos!
Is the invention of the wheel the oldest invention (NL)?
For sure, people invented many other things earlier, like for example the use and keeping of fire. As many inventions, the wheel was first seen in the Near East, about 8,500 years ago. But these wheels were used as slow turning potter’s wheels. Pottery was already an old technology back then...
In the Late Middle Ages in the Netherlands, were houses only for sale or could one as well rent a house (NL)?
There are limited numbers or other facts from before 1900. What is clear is that renting or tenancy of land and house found its origin in the Middle Ages, or even before that. The population was by far oriented on the agrarian way...
Iron in the Iron Age, did that exist (NL)?
It is not for nothing called "Iron Age". The art of making iron originates - like many developments - from the Near East. In the Southern Netherlands, for tools and weapons, often wood and stone were used, occasionally bronze...
How many people lived in the Netherlands in prehistory (NL)?
Estimations of population numbers in the Netherlands in prehistory are based in information from ethnography, burial places, traces from settlements and many assumptions...
Did a Dutch 14th century city stink (NL)?
That is difficult to answer because: what is stinking actually? It smelled different in a medieval town than nowadays. Almost all houses had a fire place where wood was burnt. Poor people would burn turf (smells more)...
What kind of clothes did the Neandertal people wear (CH)?
We know much too little about that because clothes do not remain conserved in the soil for such a long time. We can presume however, the Neanderthal used this what they had to their disposal...