Monthly Archives: July 2020

Pompeii Children’s Class

Pompeii: City of the DEAD

Magistra Lucretia Marcella (Jael ben Ari)

Shire of Greyhope, Region of Constellation, Kingdom of the Middle, Known World


On august 24, 79 A.D. in Pompeii a bustling, thriving city, became a town inhabited by none but the ghosts of those who did not flee the doomed city in time. Life in Pompeii was that of a city flourishing under the successes of the Roman Empire. Thousands lived in the small city on what we call the Bay of Naples, Italy today. Five miles in the distance the beautiful Mount Vesuvius rose, dominating the horizon.

Iron Age Tatooing

HL Shahzia Nisaburi Courtier of the Barony of Wealdsmere

Methods of Iron Age Tattooing: Evidence from the Scythian Tombs

As technological advancements are made and archeological finds provide more evidence for study, there are ever increasing examples of tattooing from the Medieval era all the way back to Neolithic times. In my research it is my goal to recreate how a tattoo might have been made in period, specific to each civilization. I chose to examine evidence of Scythian tattooing from the Pazyryk Tombs first for this ongoing project because the tattoos are some of the most well preserved on any mummy ever discovered. The designs are fanciful, bold, and just as beautiful as the day they were applied some 2,500 years ago, between the 5th and the 3rd century B.C.E. (Krutak, pg. 215).

Feast Allergy Management in the SCA

Feast Allergy Management in the SCA

Baron Drake Morgan, OL, OP (Craig Jones) [email protected]

Barony of Saint Florian de la Riviere, Lochac, Known World

Author’s Note: The author is from Lochac where dayboards don’t happen and all feasts are pre-booked 1-2 weeks in advance.

Introduction and Forward by Anne de Tournai, OP (Brigid Costello)

Allergy management is becoming an ever increasing issue for kitchen stewards and you need to have strategies about how you are going to deal with allergies and the people who may have them.

At the outset of this event, you set outlines for what dietary issues you would and wouldn’t cater for. However, things will come up that you haven’t thought about (or even heard that it’s an issue for someone) and you should consider those bookings on a case by case basis. I’ve mentioned before that respectful dialogue between people who are attending and people who are cooking is very important. You are a volunteer as well but you have signed up for the job. You have a responsibility to be courteous and professional not matter how frustrated you might be.

Kumiss – A discussion thereof

History of Kumiss / Caracosmos / Airag:

Baron Drake Morgan, OL, OP  [email protected]

Barony of Saint Florian de la Riviere, Lochac, Known World

Airag (or Kumiss, it’s Russian name) is fermented horse milk, traditionally brewed by the Mongols and other horse tribes on the steppes. It was often drunk by other cultures, such as the Russians as a health tonic.

Taking the Waters – A History of Bath (England) and Personae

Taking the Waters- A History of Bath (England) and Personae

Oswyn of Baðon mka Sean Wilson

Shire of Caer Gwyn, Middle Kingdom, Known World

For this class, I wanted to give the history of Bath but give it a window dressing of why it is good as a location for an SCA persona and by extension, what kind of things one can look for when choosing a location for one’s own persona.

The Legacy of Alfred the Great

The Legacy of Alfred the Great

By Oswyn of Baðon mka Sean Wilson

Shire of Caer Gwyn, Middle Kingdom, Known World

Imagine, you are the last Anglo-Saxon king in Southern England.  Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia, and most of your kingdom (Wessex) has been captured by the Vikings and either ruled directly by them or through puppet kings.  Your father and three brothers were king before you and fought these invaders. Most of your relations died to these invaders.  You are now huddled with the remnants of your army in a marsh in Somerset.  All the remains is a crude fort, and some hovels of some commoners.  You go out for a walk and take refuge in one of those hovels.  The occupants do not know who you are but show you hospitality.  They simply ask that you do not let the cakes (bread) burn while they gather wood and hunt.

The Riddle Game – a look at the Exeter Book Riddles

https://alexandria.midrealm.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The-Riddle-Game.pdf

By Oswyn of Baðon mka Sean Wilson

Shire of Caer Gwyn, Middle Kingdom, Known World

While many sources of Anglo-Saxon history and literature have not survived through the years, there is one very remarkable piece that has – the Exeter Book.  This book dates from my own time, the 10th century. It contains epic poems like The Wanderer, the lives of St Guthlac and St Juliana, some traditional secular poems, and more than 90 riddles.

Submit Here

How to Submit a Project

Please email your A&S project to alexandria.submissions [at] midrealm dot org

As this is not a peer reviewed library, all submissions must have the author’s email in their submission so other members can contact you with questions or comments.  Please make sure any sources are sited and in PDF format.  Please ask if you have questions with formatting!  If you have included images in your research, please make sure it is licensed to share under Fair Use Doctrine.  For performances, please include a link to youtube or vimeo.  Please include the A&S category and any suggested meta tags.  Once your submission has been received, you will be sent the SCA Grant of Use form.  Please sign it digitally and return in order to grant permission for publication.

The authors retain all rights to their work.  No work will be published without the authors permission.

Thank you,

THL Sayyida Ays,e Al-Rumiyya

Curator, Digital Alexandria

Disclaimer

It is not a corporate publication of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., and does not delineate SCA policies. All material hereon should be considered under copyright protections according to U.S. law and international treaty, and may not be reused or linked to without the permission of the author, artist, or other copyright owner as designated. In case of conflict with printed versions of material printed on this page or its links, the dispute will be decided in favor of the printed version unless otherwise indicated.  The SCA, Inc is not guaranteeing the quality or validity of the information placed on this website.

Help Wanted

Digital Alexandria is growing and needs more than one person to help maintain the library. Please click here to view the job descriptions.

  • Deputy Curator
  • Submission Librarian
  • Arts Librarian
  • Sciences Librarian
  • Antikythera

Minoan Garb Basics

Minoan Garb Basics

THL Sayyida Ays,e al-Rumiyya

al-Barran, Outlands, Known World

            The island of Crete and the surrounding Aegean islands were the Minoan civilization during the Bronze Age.  While the civilization may be considered out of period for the SCA, the influences of the Minoan society can be seen in both Greek and Roman culture.  The main primary sources of the society are frescos and tile artworks that can be found in cities like Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros.  It is from these art works that researchers and artisans can begin to recreate the clothing of Crete.