[jpatt]

This comment reminded me of a neat video I saw where reconstructing the past is the explicit intention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajqort8ldXA.

Starting from 1997, they picked a year 1229 as the simulated start date, then worked to build a castle using, for the most part, only extraction, refinement, and building practices from that year. They may adopt new technologies as they were found in 1230, 1231, etc. as the years progress.

Apparently some of the folks restoring Notre Dame went to apprentice there for a little while to learn some of the woodworking techniques needed for their work on the cathedral.