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 does „Únetice culture” mean (CZ)?
The Únětice culture (in German Aunjetitzer Kultur) is a dominant archaeological culture of the Early Bronze Age (2200-1500 BC) of Central Europe. It is the only...
How long does prehistory already exist (NL)?
We usually let prehistory start with the emergence of mankind. Of course, the planet is much older than that, but that part of the past is studied by palaeontologists...
Did you have find treasures in the megalithic tombs in Northwest Schleswig (DE)?
It is a question of what you understand as a „treasure“: There were no gold finds or something like this, but there were finds of stone and ceramics which are very important from a cultural historic perspective! They are treasures for archaeologists!
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...
What kind of clothes did people wear in the 14th century (NL)?
Men and women wore linen shirts or "camises" as undergarments. We are not sure about the women, but men wore linen underpants. These were wide, quite baggy things just above or just over the knee...
Biskupin became the most important site for Polish archaeology of the 20th century, why (PL)?
Because of the unique preservation of the wooden complex of ramparts, houses and streets, because of using modern methods of archaeological and interdisciplinary research, because of initiating archaeology by experiment and because of organizing training camps for archaeology students.
Why are the objects found below the earth surface (CH)?
When in the past a settlement was abandoned by the inhabitants, the left much garbage behind like pottery, bones or tools and the remains of their wooden houses...
How old are the Crannogs in Scotland (UK)?
The earliest known loch-dwellling in Scotland goes back 5,000 years to Neolithic times. This is on the island of North Uist, Scotland.
Did all people in the Neolithic houses in Northwest Schleswig sleep in one bed/place (DE)?
There were „big“ bed-constructions existing and we can estimate that they gave room for a few people, maybe belonging to one family? Anyway it is nearly clear that all people slept in a single room – the room with the fire-place!
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...