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 did people hunt before bow and arrow were invented (NL)?
Bow and arrow were invented about 15,000 years ago, when the last ice age was ending. Before that, people used a stick to make their arm longer, thus enhancing the power with which the spear was thrown...
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...
How would a 12 year old entertain oneself in the Middle Ages (NL)?
Well, in those days, as soon as it would even be possible, children had to give a hand at home, for example with raising the even younger children. Many of those things would nowadays be called 'child labour', but that was how it was...
You have something hanging above the fire, what’s that (SE)?
It is a protection for the roof, to keep sparks from getting up in to it. Right now we have a piece of wool cloth, in our last house we had animal skin. As soon as we can we are building a frame of willow which we are going to coat with clay.
In the Iron Age, didn't they have any domestic animals like cattle, cats or dogs (NL)?
They had cattle, but much smaller then the domesticated kinds we know of today. Dogs are the oldest pets but cats were not there yet in these days in this area, not until the Romans came...
What did prehistoric women do when they had their period (NL)?
Perhaps prehistoric women did not have their period as often as nowadays. In times of lack of food, during pregnancy and the lengthy period of breast feeding, they didn't get bleeding...
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...
What did the Roman men wear under their tunic (NL)?
Originally, Romans wore not a thing under their tunic. It is however assumed, soldiers in the colder areas of Europe (like the Netherlands) wore the trousers we know of these places.
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...
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...