An oracle was a site where ancient Greek men and women asked the gods to answer questions about the past, the present and the future. Prof. Esther Eidinow (Bristol) explains — ‘Oracles helped ancient society to cope with uncertainty and risk. We are focusing on the oracle at Dodona because thousands of questions have survived from the site, written on lead tablets. They show that the oracle was consulted not only by community leaders, but also by ordinary men and women, including enslaved people. Studying Dodona can help us to understand their experiences better: both how they responded to uncertainty, and how they related to the gods.’

Prof. Hugh Bowden (KCL) says: ‘we are using modern resources, including Virtual Reality and EEG imaging, alongside traditional disciplines – archaeology and history – to investigate the ancient world.'

Dr. Michael Proulx (Bath) explains: ‘This creative study of ancient history will allow us to make cutting-edge advances in the psychological use of modern technology. The nature of the oracle experience, being something novel for modern people, provides a good basis for creating other virtual experiences outside of our daily lives.’ Dr Quinton Deeley (KCL): ‘The virtual oracle provides clues about ancient religious experience, and the effects of ritual practice and particularly divination on experience and brain function.’