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.
Could the ornaments in megalithic graves be a rudimentary kind of writing (DE)?
The ornaments which in seldom cases are found in megalithic graves (especially in the Anglo-Irish and the Iberian regions) cannot be seen as an early form of writing. In general we find geometrical elements...
How much time did it take in the early Middle Ages to build a house (NL)?
Nowadays, time is money. The longer it takes before it is ready, the more expensive the house is. Back then, building a new house meant you couldn't spend the same time on something else. Most medieval people were self-sufficient:...
How was Araisi lake fortress built (LV)?
Āraiši lake fortress was built on a low, frequently inundated islet in the lake, connected to the shore by means of an 80-metre-long natural bank of glacial till. In the 9th century, when the lake fortress was built, the water level in Lake Āraiši was...
Were there many parties in the Middle Ages? (NL)?
The image we have of the Middle Ages is often about the king at his castle, knights and ladies, jokers et cetera. But the truth was much different...
How heavy was a knights' suit of armour (DE)?
A complete suit of armour of a knight in the late 13th and early 14th century weighed about 30 to 35 kilogrammes. To us, this may seem heavy, but a knight was used to carry his equipment from very young childhood on...
What temperature is a fire (NL)?
The heat of a fire depends on the type of fuel and the quantity of added oxygen. A simple wood fire can reach about 700 - 800 ° C.
Did children have to work as well (CH)?
People in prehistory did not get very old, meaning one had to grow up much earlier. There was less time to remain a child than nowadays. Besides this, life was very hard...
What is the oldest board game in the world (NL)?
Board games are among the oldest games we know of in the world. In Egypt, boards for games were found, carved into roofs of a temple at Kurna, dating to 1,400 BC. The oldest game we know of was called Senet, found in the Tomb of Merknera, Egypt...
Were the Neolithic house posts in Northwest Schleswig really this thick (DE)?
Yes, they were. We found the structures inside of the postholes; and it was clear enough to separate the rest of the post itself from the surrounding soil filling...
Did the prehistoric children play with glass marbles (NL)?
Yes and no. Marbles were used for playing as long as we know of. In Egypt and Pre Colombian America, marbles were used, made of fired clay. Children used whatever material came to hand: polished stones, nuts et cetera...