What is "Historical Accuracy" or to be "Period"?
How do you define "Period" in the SCA? How do you determine Historical Accuracy?
I have been trying to decide how my new kit will look and how I will make it as "Period" as possible. Do you have to create your pieces as exact replicas of things found? Does all my metal work have to look like the hand full of photographs you can find in books? Does my trim have to match that of trim found in grave digs?
What if I have studied the metal work and recreated the methods to make a reproduction piece and then using that skill and knowledge and period method I create an original piece? Is this piece "Period? What if I study how card weaving was done during a particular time frame and used these methods and designed a pattern that is not a replica of a found pattern, is this piece "Period"? Some say no, because it can not be documented. I say yes, because the method of production and the general style of the period can be documented.
As in today's fashion people look mostly the same in a stale generic sort of way but there are differences. Not every one wears jeans made from the same company. Not every one wears jewelery from the same artist. It was a large and diverse world then as now. The artist that created items for people used their skill and creative eye to make their wares. Every one from 700 AD did not wear one of 5 belt buckle designs. A whole village did not wear exactly the same trim in the same colors.
I say if you can make it using period method and within the style of the time then you are period even though you can not document the exact piece. If we all just reproduce exact copies of documented items then we learn nothing and we will all look like clones.
Just my opinion!
I have been trying to decide how my new kit will look and how I will make it as "Period" as possible. Do you have to create your pieces as exact replicas of things found? Does all my metal work have to look like the hand full of photographs you can find in books? Does my trim have to match that of trim found in grave digs?
What if I have studied the metal work and recreated the methods to make a reproduction piece and then using that skill and knowledge and period method I create an original piece? Is this piece "Period? What if I study how card weaving was done during a particular time frame and used these methods and designed a pattern that is not a replica of a found pattern, is this piece "Period"? Some say no, because it can not be documented. I say yes, because the method of production and the general style of the period can be documented.
As in today's fashion people look mostly the same in a stale generic sort of way but there are differences. Not every one wears jeans made from the same company. Not every one wears jewelery from the same artist. It was a large and diverse world then as now. The artist that created items for people used their skill and creative eye to make their wares. Every one from 700 AD did not wear one of 5 belt buckle designs. A whole village did not wear exactly the same trim in the same colors.
I say if you can make it using period method and within the style of the time then you are period even though you can not document the exact piece. If we all just reproduce exact copies of documented items then we learn nothing and we will all look like clones.
Just my opinion!
posted by Ondrædan á Júzki | 6:50 AM
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