Arts and Sciences in the SCA
The SCA has been described as the largest medieval craft self-help group in the world, and that does not fall short of the mark. The ethos of sharing one’s knowledge is strong in the shire and society. People join with whatever skills they have and quickly find that there is great opportunity to learn and improve. If you’re knowledgeable in a subject and are willing, you are encouraged to teach others.
With about 100,000 people participating in SCA activities across the world there is a great wealth of knowledge out there, and with the internet it’s a lot closer to us than you might think. The odds are that any subject that takes your fancy has someone in the SCA willing to share their research and knowledge with you.
The SCA has too many crafts to make an exhaustive list. The premise is that if it was done in the Middle Ages, then someone somewhere in the SCA is replicating it. Nevertheless, below is a general list that gives an idea of the wide variety of crafts practiced in Drachenwald and Insulae Draconis. From year to year the list keeps growing.
Bardic Arts - Singing, poetry and Medieval performance arts
Calligraphy - Writing styles from a wide period.
Cooking - Researching and cooking Medieval food.
Costuming - Making the clothes and accessories of the times.
Dance - Learning and performing period dances.
Dyeing - Using period materials and techniques to dye fabric.
Embroidery & Needlework - Medieval-style embroidered and needlework pieces.
Illumination - Medieval-style page decoration, often using gold leaf.
Knitting - Medieval knitting styles and techniques.
Spinning and Weaving - Making thread and fabric from raw materials.
Armouring - Making period armour and weapons
Bookbinding - Creating Medieval-style books by hand.
Bowering - The science of making Bows.
Brewing - Making Medieval beer, mead, wines and cordials.
Candle Making - Medieval-style candles from wax and tallow.
Carving - Carving ivory, wood, antler, and bone.
Casting - Casting jewellery, axe heads, candlesticks etc.
Ceramics & Pottery - Period pottery vessels and art pieces.
Fletching - The making of arrows.
Gaming - There are hundreds of Medieval games.
Herbalism - Growing herbs; and their uses i.e. soaps, dyes etc.
Leatherworking - Making Medieval leather items, bags, boots, belts etc.
Metalworking - Making all sorts of period metal crafts.
Smithing - Making cutlery and daggers, forged iron or steel items etc.
Wood Working - Medieval carpentry: benches, techniques, etc.
In the field of period arts and sciences there are hundreds of possible activities. Any craft, art or skill of the period is an option, the above are just some of the common ones we practice. If you are interested in any art or science (craft) and need help starting or finding information, you should contact your local group’s Minister of Arts & Sciences who will direct you to anyone who is already practicing that activity within the group, or failing that he/she will try and find a source of information on the subject for you.
Many subjects have classes or workshops held from time to time for people to share their skills and discuss issues of relevance. Most shires hold monthly meetings where people can gather with their projects and support/help/teach each other. Most of the larger events will have a competition or a craft display that people can enter. Displays are a way of showing off finished and unfinished projects to delight other people. Competitions at various levels of difficulty are a way to have your work assessed by more experienced artisans who can then help you improve your skills.
There are also several events held specifically to promote and teach crafts. These events are called collegiums or Universities, as they mostly consist of an entire weekend’s timetable of classes on varied subjects, that everyone can take part in.
The highest accolade for an artisan, given by the Society is to declare them a Master or Mistress of their craft and to elevate them to a peerage in the Order of the Laurel which was specifically created for artisans. In order to reach this position a craftsperson must have achieved an “international” standard of skill consistently equivalent to other recognised artisans who have already achieved this level. For more information on awards given to artisans in recognition of their achievements, please click here for the article on Awards in the SCA.
For general information and articles on beginning with historical dress, including patterns http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/beginners/index.html (Reconstructing History Beginners)
Some clothing of the Middle Ages, Patterns for simple garb based on archaeological finds can be found at http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/cloth/bockhome.html
For hundreds of craft links relevant to the SCA look at http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/