Travel to Ancient Greece in Virtual Reality

A new virtual reality (VR) app that takes users on a journey to ancient Greece where they can experience firsthand what it was like to consult with the Greek god Zeus at the Oracle of Dodona has been developed by? Team of academics led by the University of Bristol.

The project aims to enhance historical understanding of ancient Greek oracle counseling and explore the role of VR technology in classrooms, museums and cultural settings. It also aims to provide insight and a richer understanding of sensory processing and brain activity in users of VR.

The oracle was a place where ancient Greek men and women asked the gods for answers to questions about the past, present and future and often wrote their questions on lead tablets – many of which have survived to this day.

Dodona, in Epirus in northwestern Greece, was one of the earliest oracle sites from the 2nd millennium BC, with some of the earliest accounts describing Dodona as the oracle of Zeus. It was considered second only to the more famous Oracle of Delphi in prestige and remained an important religious sanctuary until the rise of Christianity during the late Roman era.

The VR experience is based on ancient evidence to visualize a visit to the oracle of Zeus at Dodona in 465 BC. Users can choose one of three routes to meet other pilgrims and hear their stories, before being able to ask their questions to the priestesses of Zeus.

Project lead Professor Esther Idino, from the University of Bristol’s Department of Classics and Ancient History, said: “Oracles helped ancient societies cope with uncertainty and risk. We are focusing on the oracle at Dodona because of the thousands of questions left from the site, On which is written lead bullets.

“They show that oracles were consulted not only by community leaders, but also by ordinary men and women, including enslaved people. Studying Dodona can help us better understand their experiences: But how did they react, and how did they relate to God’s.

“This project can help us better understand both ancient and modern experiences—the ancient experience of religious ritual and the modern experience of a deeply historical environment.”

While building the app, the team consulted with a number of potential users and involved them in its design and development. This included sessions with visitors to the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

Professor Kirsten Cater from Bristol’s Department of Computer Science said: “To create the best VR experience we involved teachers, students and museums in the design process through co-production, as well as supporting them as users of the final product .

“This approach may lead to important conclusions for enhancing the design and effectiveness of digital cultural experiences, particularly immersive experiences, for use in museum/heritage and educational contexts.”

Dr Michael Proulx, from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, said: “This creative study of ancient history will allow us to make cutting-edge advances in the psychological use of modern technology.

“In examining the experience of an oracle, our methods are describing what it is like to feel present in that place and moment – ​​almost like a form of time travel to better understand the past.

“It will also help future VR development as we will have a richer understanding of the role of multisensory processing and integration in helping make VR real. The nature of the oracle experience, being something new to modern people, is a good provides the basis for creating other virtual experiences outside of our daily lives.”

The Virtual Reality Oracle Experience is available for free download on multiple platforms. A version compatible with Google Android-based smartphones can be downloaded from the Google Play store and paired with widely available Cardboard VR headsets to provide a low-cost entry-level virtual reality experience.

Users of the Meta range of VR headsets (eg Quest/Quest 2) can download the app directly meta store,

A 360-degree video version that is compatible with desktop computers and tablets can be found online via YouTube. For more information and additional support, visit