MOTnews 46 (29/08/2003)

The MOT is taking part in Open Monument Day 2003

On Sunday 14 September, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the 15th Open Monument Day is being celebrated all over Flanders. And just as it does every year, Grimbergen Local Authority is taking part.

The theme for 2003 is "Stone", and in co-operation with the Tourism Service, the municipal guides will be organising walks along prominent stone artefacts in the Grimberg region. The MOT is also taking part, arranging an exclusive programme on stone marks in the Guldendal section.

Marks in stone or wood are probably the predecessors of writing. They tell us more about the past, although for many people they are still often a mystery.

With a workshop on stonecutters' marks, the MOT will introduce participants to the world of archaeological research.

All day long, visitors to the Museum will receive more information on the use of natural stone and on the function of stone marks. Among other things, these marks served to identify the stonecutter (maker's mark), from which quarry the stone came (origin definition mark) or simply to indicate where that stone had to be placed in a building (positioning mark).

With the help of a member of the museum's staff, every visitor will learn a number of techniques for copying the marks. Unusual names such as "Abklatsch" or "rubbing" will no longer hold any secrets after Open Monument Day. Furthermore, every participant will also have the chance to design a house mark for his own use.

With all the knowledge on stone marks acquired in the Museum, the walker can embark upon an exploration of the Grimberg monuments, where he or she can seek out other marks.

GRANDMOTHER'S RECIPES

Anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors in these summer temperatures might have already experienced the problem: a painful insect bite, but... no soothing cream anywhere to be found in the house. Well, most people have a bottle of vinegar in a kitchen cupboard somewhere - and this helps just as much. Particularly in the case of wasp stings or ant bites, a dab of vinegar helps to lessen the pain.

SAY WHAT?

In this MOT-news item we try to explain proverbs and sayings that have their roots in our technical history. Similar proverbs are found in different languages, but each language has it's own typical sayings. Therefore we do not translate this item in English.

KIDS news: something to tell your children this evening

Do you also sometimes wonder where things get their names?

Some names you can work out straight away, while others don't reveal their origin quite so easily.

Well, here's one we can help you with, Belgium's favourite potato, the "Bintje".

Today, 80% of potatoes grown in Belgium are of the "Bintje" variety. But did you know that a long time ago, say about 1925, more than 100 different varieties were grown in the country, with weird and wonderful names like "Andijk Mice" and "Zeeland Blue"?

One famous potato grower was the Dutchman "meester de Vries". He called each new variety that he came up with after the name of one of his nine children. For the tenth variety, there were no more names left, so he named it after one of the pupils from his school: Bintje Jansma.