An Immersive Experience of the Ancient Greek Gods
The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO) is a first-person virtual reality experience of oracular divination at the ancient Greek oracle of Zeus at Dodona c. 465 BCE. Immerse yourself in the stories of ancient Greek men and women as they consult the gods. Inspired by the questions they posed on themes as wide-ranging as health, relationships, and freedom, perhaps you in turn will ask your question of Zeus?
The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO)
The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO) will draw on the ancient question tablets from the oracle of Zeus at Dodona, NW Greece, to develop a VR experience of consulting the oracle, based on stories about individual visitors.

Why Dodona?
The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO) will draw on the ancient question tablets from the oracle of Zeus at Dodona, NW Greece, to develop a VR experience of consulting the oracle, based on stories about individual visitors.
Another reason we chose Dodona is that we wanted to explore the mystery of the oracle: how did it give its answers? In particular, we are interested in the role of the oak tree at Dodona: what kind of tree was it, and why was it considered to be so powerful? How was Zeus understood to give his answers through this tree?
Finally, we know that sound played an important part at the oracle, and we aim to explore this aspect of Dodona in more detail in the VRO.
How will the VRO be viewed?
The experience of visiting Dodona is studied at A-level in the UK, so we are developing the VRO in close collaboration with teachers and students. We are also working with museum curators, to develop museum installations of the VRO. To help a wide range of audiences view the VRO, we will be pioneering an accessible, online VR resource.
How will the VRO be used?
The VRO aims to enhance historical understanding of ancient Greek ritual activity and different methods of ancient divination. We will also use the VRO to explore the role of VR in classrooms, museums and cultural settings, and to better understand the role of the senses and brain activity in users of the VRO.
The VRO for Education
We are developing the VRO in close collaboration with teachers, students, and museum curators, and aim to develop:
- An accessible, online VR resource, which can be viewed on a smartphone, with accompanying educational materials for teachers and students of the ancient world, which will be hosted on this website.
- A mobile museum installation to display in museums in Bristol, London and Ioannina, Greece.
Schools
We hope the VRO will be a valuable resource for all those engaged in teaching and learning about the ancient world, in particular those studying the OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation syllabus, where the site of Dodona is a key focus.
Schools are also central to the project’s development, with Classics teachers and students acting as participants in the design and use of the VRO and its educational materials.
Museums
The project is partnered with several museums, whose teams will be involved in the production of the VRO and its installation and display.
We hope this will widen access to, and promote a greater appreciation of, ancient history, Dodona's legacy, and the opportunities of VR.
Outreach and Public Engagement
We hope to work with a range of organisations to publicise the VRO, ensuring that a wide range of schools and public audiences experience the simulation.
If you are interested in any aspect of our educational plans, do please get in touch.
The VRO for Research
The VRO project comprises four overlapping disciplines: ancient history, neuroscience, psychology, and human/computer interaction. This interdisciplinary combination, along with the team behind it, will help us to investigate the following research questions:
- Can the VRO advance our understanding of ancient Dodona, the oracular consultation process, and the effects of this ritual on ancient individuals?
- Can the cognitive and sensory responses of individual users of the VRO enhance the design of immersive VR experiences, particularly for cultural, heritage, educational and academic audiences?
Ancient History
By creating a virtual reality simulation of visiting ancient Dodona and its oracle, the VRO aims to explore the experiences of ancient historical individuals as they engaged in oracular consultation, as well as the impact this may have had on them.
Neuroscience
By embedding participants in a realistic simulation of ancient divination, which can be manipulated, the VRO will help us to understand the brain functions that underpin cultural phenomena such as divination.
Psychology
We are interested in how individual users of the VRO will respond, mentally, emotionally and physically, to being immersed in ancient Dodona, as well as whether the VRO can enhance a modern audiences’ understanding of, and empathy with, historical subjects engaged in divination.
Human-Computer Interaction
The involvement of teachers and students in the design and use of the VRO will help us to provide proof-of-concept for the creation of compelling digital cultural experiences, especially immersive experiences, for use in museum/heritage and educational contexts.
Publications
Coming soon...
Research Team
The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO) is a UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded research project led by Professor Esther Eidinow (University of Bristol), in partnership with Kings College London and the University of Bath.

Chris Bevan
Chris Bevan is a Research Associate in Computer Science at the University of Bristol, specialising in Human Computer Interaction.

Hugh Bowden
Hugh Bowden is Professor of Ancient History at King's College London, specializing in ancient Greek religious experience.

Kirsten Cater
Kirsten Cater is a Professor in Computer Science at the University of Bristol, specialising in Human Computer Interaction and Virtual Reality.

Richard Cole
Richard Cole is a Research Associate in Ancient Greek History and Virtual Reality at the University of Bristol, specialising in fictional and non-fictional reconstructions of antiquity.

Quinton Deeley
Quinton Deeley is Senior Lecturer in Social Behaviour and Neurodevelopment at King's College London

Esther Eidinow
Esther Eidinow is Professor of Ancient History at the University of Bristol, specialising in ancient Greek religion and magic.

Jo Gildersleve
Jo Gildersleve is a Research Administrator supporting the Virtual Reality Oracle project and other projects at the University of Bristol.

Michael J. Proulx
Michael J. Proulx is Reader in Psychology at the University of Bath, specialising in Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, Virtual Reality and Assistive Technology.