Society for Creative Anachronism

The Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA for short) is a non-profit educational organization devoted to studying and re-creating the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The primary focus is on Western European culture, but can also include other regions such as the Middle East and Japan with which Western Europe had contact during 800-1650 CE. The SCA is easily described as a Middle Ages Arts Revival Recreation Organization.

Activities

Garb/ Costume

The first thing one notices about an SCA event is that everyone is wearing at least an attempt at pre-17th century clothing, often called "garb." Wearing garb to events is one of the basic requirements of the SCA. Garb may range from a polyester-blend T-tunic for a newcomer to a hand-embroidered and beaded Elizabethan gown complete with hoops and ruffled collar. Typically, men wear a tunic and pants and women wear a long gown. Members often have "field" garb, simple cotton tunics or gowns that they wear to camping or other outdoor events, and "court" garb made of expensive brocades and silks that are reserved for fancy dress events. Many SCA members make their own costumes, though the needlework-challenged can purchase their garb from merchants or barter with other SCA members. Newcomers to the SCA can usually borrow garb for their first event or two by contacting the local group's Gold Key officer or Chatelaine/Castellan, who is responsible for helping acclimatize new members.

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Armed combat

Two forms of armed combat are re-created in the SCA: Heavy Weapons generally approximating the sword-and-shield, hauberk-and-halberd fighting of the High Middle Ages, and Fencing, generally approximating the lightly-armored "swashbuckling" of the 15th and 16th century, emphasizing the rapier over the broadsword. (Some groups refer to 'fencing' as 'light weapons' others refer to archery as 'light weapons').

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The martial arts as practiced in the SCA are notable in that there are no referees to declare a winner. "Marshals" are on the field to watch for loose or broken equipment and to protect bystanders. It is the combatants who acknowledge the effect of blows. A combatant is on his or her own honor to "call" a "good shot," feigning its effect. For example, a good blow to the arm renders that arm useless, so the combatant will stop using it for the duration of the fight. Calling a leg shot, the combatant drops to his or her knees, or may comically hop around. (Good "field schtick" is considered an asset.)

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Heavy weapons

The heavy-weapons forms practiced in the SCA roughly mirror those of medieval infantry, and both tournaments and battles are fought using these weapons forms. The fighters wear armor (often of their own making) made of plastic, leather, carbon steel, stainless steel, spring steel, or any combination thereof.

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Participants build and strike each other with weapons made primarily of rattan to resemble swords, pikes, spears, axes and other medieval weapons though chain weapons are forbidden. This "Heavy Weapons Fighting" is a full-contact martial art, interesting among other combat sports for its lack of formalized training. Many groups hold "fighter practices" where individual and group combat is practiced and informal instruction often occurs. This allows newcomers to learn at their own pace and to add to the game in unpredictable ways. Typically several years of direct experience in the SCA's Heavy Weapons Fighting are needed to excel in tournaments.

Related Topics:
Rattan - Sword - Pike - Spear - Axe - Combat sports

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For the purposes of calling blows, all heavy-weapons combatants are considered to be armored in a chain mail hauberk, with an open-faced helmet similar to the barbut. For that reason, a draw cut or glancing blow would have no effect, while a solid blow would. (Testing with armored animal carcasses shows that while chain protects well against a slicing blade, it transmits most of the perpendicular force of a blow. A solid shot to an arm or leg would contuse the muscle and perhaps break the bone, rendering the limb useless at least temporarily.) This set standard for calling blows allows those that cannot afford to invest (either time or money) in very heavy protection to fight on the same level as others, but allows them to build quite elaborate armor if they wish.

Related Topics:
Chain mail - Hauberk - Helmet - Barbut

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Fencing

As practiced in the SCA fencing rules differ from Olympic fencing rules. Instead of fencing for points, fencers attempt to "disable" or "kill" their oppenent by striking at target areas. Fencers are considered to be wearing street clothes and leather gloves so both thrusts and cuts are accepted as attacks. SCA rules do not recognize lanes or right of way, so opponents often circle each other. Body-to-body contact is prohibited, but hand-on-blade contact is allowed, so the off hand becomes an important factor.

Related Topics:
SCA fencing - Olympic

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While many SCA members attempt to "re-create" rapier combat of the 16th and early 17th centuries, in practice it often becomes a blend of Society rules with Olympic-style fighting. Many rapier and smallsword enthusiasts are turning to fencing manuals of the 15th and 16th centuries still extant, and using vastly more accurate rapier simulators instead of the ill-suited foil and epee of modern times.

Related Topics:
Rapier - 16th - 17th centuries

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It is important to note that fencing in the round is in fact not characteristic of this period of fencing, as with the introduction of the rapier and small sword fencing became more akin to the strip-based bouts common in modern day. This change was primarily due to the superiority of thrusting attacks, as fencing in lanes tends to increase one's speed and strength with regard to these attacks.

Related Topics:
Rapier - Small sword

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Once widely considered the "red-headed stepchild" of SCA combat, fencing has grown in popularity and prestige over the past three decades. However, Crown Tournaments and martial peerages are still restricted to heavy-weapons fighters. All kingdoms except the Kingdom of Calontir now have organized fencing.

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Combat archery

Combat archery allows the introduction of bows and crossbows to Heavy Weapons combat. Strict rules are in place to limit the launch force of field weapons, and the projectiles are specially built with large blunted tips and special backs to minimize the risk of true injury. Shields are considered to stop arrows and one shieldman can trivially defend himself from a lone archer. Due to the space requirements and targeting selection, combat archery is only used in large melees.

Related Topics:
Bow - Crossbow

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The vulnerability of archers varies from Kingdom to Kingdom (and often within a Kingdom). In some cases, archers are allowed to carry melee weapons and must be physically struck down like any other field combatant. In other cases, if a melee fighter gets within a set range, typically 10 feet (3 m), the archer is automatically considered dead. Under either system, archers must still wear the same level of armor protection as the heavy fighters, with the exception of hand protection to allow for the use of their weapons.

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Forbidden weapons

Some weapons, while actively used within the SCA's target period, have been barred from use in SCA combat because it is difficult or impossible to make them safe. These include staves (the typical style involves a large amount of force on impact), punching weapons (Katars, punch daggers and offensive shields such as the targe), and flexible weapons such as the flail or ball and chain, which can wrap around heads, limbs, or shields causing injury. Some flails may be acceptable if the flexible length is very short. (In practice they are used like a mace, albeit a floppy one.)

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Firearms are likewise barred. Some Light Weapon combat events do allow some firearm simulation, but that is rare.

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Bardic arts

The "Bardic Arts" are also popular. The bard in pre-Medieval Celtic society held a specific social class and had specific duties. In the SCA context, though, "bard" is a general term that refers to most storytellers, poets, and musicians.

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SCA bards not only perform period pieces but often compose new works. These may be in the style of ancient forms, such as a new version of a Child Ballad, or a piece recounting (in period style) some aspect of the "Current Middle Ages" such as a history of an SCA kingdom, a tribute to an individual, or an account of an event.

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(One of the more perversely popular styles is "filking". A filk is a new lyric set to an existing tune. The practice has ample historical antecedent; ancient musical codices are full of tropes that set new lyrics to existing tunes. For example, The Codex Carmina Burana is a collection of often-ribald lyrics set to the Gregorian chant tunes that were used in worship at the time. What sets filks apart is that the tunes are generally modern: Broadway show tunes, top-40 radio hits (going back to the 1960s when the SCA got its start), and so on.)

Related Topics:
Filk - Trope - Carmina Burana - Gregorian chant

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Awards at all levels are given for prowess in the Bardic Arts (though not, generally, for filking). Kingdoms and principalities may have a College of Bards. These may be highly structured or very loosely organized.

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Many Early Music performers resist being categorized as "bards", and SCA members who have specific interests may prefer to style themselves specifically as minstrels, troubadours, troveres, minnesingers, etc.

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The most common bardic activity is the "Bardic Circle," where performers take turns sharing pieces. Circles may be structured, with participants passing a token to indicate who has the floor, or they may be informal, with performers following each other in no set order. Some circles may have a theme.

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A common activity for bards at large camping events is "firewalking" (also known as fyrewalking or fire-crawling): A performer or small group goes from campsite to campsite offering entertainment in exchange for refreshment.

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Heraldry

The SCA keeps its own College of Arms to register and protect heraldic devices of its members (at least within the Society). While once, all heraldic device submissions had to be checked against both SCA and historical predecessors, currently only major non-SCA heraldic devices and symbols are checked against. Thus, while a person cannot register the Coat of Arms of Queen Elizabeth II or of France, they no longer check against a 12th-century minor noble who managed to impress the King one day.

Related Topics:
Heraldic devices - Coat of Arms - Queen Elizabeth II - France

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The same internal organization also registers and maintains SCA names, checking against duplication and ensuring at least minimal period authenticity. In some cases, names that were once acceptable, such as Rhiannon, have been since shown to be of modern origin and are no longer allowed (though current bearers are not required to change their names).

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While there is no requirement to register a name and/or device, members are encouraged to do so. Newcomers are often counseled by experienced members on choosing a suitable persona name, and local heralds are usually enthusiastic about helping new members create and register a unique device that represents their personality and interests.

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Cooking

Many SCA events feature food ranging from simple "fighters fare" or "peasant lunch" of bread, cheese, and "stone soup", to elaborate multi-course feasts served over a period of several hours. Feasts are not always of limited to period foods and recipes, but they rarely include glaringly non-period items such as hamburgers and corndogs (though there was at least one group which put on a feast in which they documented 'beans and weenies'). As with period feasts, there is often an elaborate main dish or dessert called a subtlety. (One group has a running gag at their annual feast in which the main dish is a mythical beast. To make a "sea dragon", for example, they assembled a five-foot long meatloaf with a dozen chicken drumsticks arrayed along each side.)

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Cooks who strive to stick to period dishes may still modify the original recipes to allow for modern palates and ingredients. A running joke in the SCA (and at least one song in very deliberate bad taste) concerns the inedibility of feast food. In actuality, most feasts are prepared by staffs of talented and dedicated volunteers who work long, hot hours to serve (and clean up after) a repast unequalled by many fine restaurants - and usually for a fee of only a few dollars per person.

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Calligraphy

calligraphy and illumination workshops are held where interested people study and create illuminated manuscripts. Awards in the SCA are accompanied by an illuminated scroll made by a volunteer.

Related Topics:
Calligraphy - Illuminated manuscripts

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Dance

Dance practices are held where Renaissance Dance and English Country Dance are taught in preparation for events and demos.

Related Topics:
Renaissance Dance - English Country Dance

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