MOTnews 5 (28/07/2000)

• Medieval site open to the public!

The "Motte van Borcht" will officially open on the 4th of August 2000.

The Council of Grimbergen decided to make this historical site accessible to the general public in collaboration with the Museum of Old Techniques.

The Borcht district features a peculiar hill in the middle of the housing area, this hill isn't there by accident, it's a stronghold, a manmade elevation for defensive purposes. A fortified dwelling could be built on the top of it. Some 1.000 years ago a wooden structure was set up here for the local landlord and it was torn down again 150 years later in the so called "Grimberg War" (1142-1159).

By opening up this site to the public, the town of Grimbergen and the Museum want to bring the Middle Ages a bit closer to home.

From the 4th of August onwards you can visit the "Motte van Borcht", by reservation only (bookings through the Tourist Office Grimbergen, tel. 0032-2-269.12.99).

TRUE OR FALSE

• Watermills existed already a 1.000 years before there were windmills
• Answer to TRUE OR FALSE (30/06/2000)

TRUE: the Etrurians already made "false teeth" about 2.500 years ago: the teeth were carved out of bone or ivory and attached to the real teeth by means of golden bridgework.

KIDS NEWS: something to tell your children tonight

• Middle Ages: lots of hard labour or filled with fun?
• The hillock mentioned higher up didn't appear overnight, it took a lot of

manpower and hard labour. There were no bulldozers in the Middle Ages or diggers, or even wheel barrows. All the dirt needed to construct this hill was dug up with spades and carried upstairs in baskets or on stretchers. Such a stretcher could haul up to 80 kg to the top.

• On the other hand the Middle Ages also had their advantages. You could

brazenly eat with your fingers even in the noblest of companies. The fork only found it's way to the dinner table a lot further in time (17th century).