...or the villager, in this case.

Their curiosity about the rock and the ruins (and the field and the boulder and god knows what...) and the response that more research might be necessary, does that hint at the fact that you need more research done to accumulate more tech points to buy the necessary technology, i.e. construction, spirituality, etc.?

Or does it help to keep you Adept Builder poking around the ruins until s/he had any insights as to how to rebuild them?

HELP!
Mue

Have a look at the Virtual Villagers guides, you might find your answer there.