Artifacts of a Life Worth Examining

At Artifacts of Life this last weekend, artists displayed items they made that could have been left behind by a single historic person – their own SCA persona or someone else.   The goal of the event, which was sponsored by the Barony Beyond the Mountain and the Barony of Carolingia, was to look at what these items would reveal about the material culture of that person’s location in time, geography and social context.  What follows is a brief description of the artist, the objects and photographs of many of these objects.

Randall Vihari-Farkas  exhibited a Norse fishing net for scooping fish from a large netted or fenced river area.  Randall won for the division of those entering a single artifact.

Toi Poisson de Mortagne created objects for a late 16th century Elizabethan woman on the lower class.  She is a free person of color married to a court musician who works as a laundress, gofferer and starcher of ruffs.  She exhibited two ruffs, three starches and three dyes with samples of the starched and dyed fabrics.  Toi was entered in the division for up to five items entered and was given a leather box of prizes in recognition of her efforts.

Juliana Osborne created objects for a Tudor gentlewoman living in Kent, England in the 1530’s.  Her person is the lady of the manor at Hartlyppe Place, and her husband is a prosperous wool trader.  The objects were a Tudor loose gown, a loose kirtle and thread wrapped buttons.

Eleanor le Brun created items used by an upper class 15th Century French Catholic woman during her prayers. They included an oak bench, a chemiseband ( book cover), a paternoster, reliquary pouch, cushions to kneel on and rest the book on, a coffer(small chest) to hold her items, and a bottle of holy water.  Her woodwork was recognized by Their Excellencies of Barony Beyond the Mountain.

Sorcha Dhocair imghean Ui Ruairc created objects for a 10th century upper class Irish woman.  The objects included a leine, brat, single sided composite bone comb, comb pouch and inkle woven belt.  Her entry was the winner for the division of up to five artifacts.

Nataliia Anastasiia Evgenova Sviatoslavina vnuchka

Nataliia Anastasiia Evgenova Sviatoslavina vnuchka created a paintbrush using the instructions in a 15th century Italian handbook and a self-portrait by Bruegel.

Eibhlin an Fraoch created items for a 10th century Viking woman living in Birka.  They were typical of what was found in a woman’s grave and were a comb, a pouch for the comb, a needle case and a needle.  She was given a set of glass beads by Their Highnesses in recognition of her antler comb.

Barbara Kyrkeland created objects for an upper middle class woman in 1570’s England which included a lace altar hanging, needlepoint pillow, paternoster necklace and pearl necklace.

Jan Janowicz Bogdanski created objects for a mid 15th century upper class British person.  They included a Pochspiel board, bowls and a bench.

Rosamund von Schwyz created playing cards for the Pochspiel game board made by Jan Janowicz Bogdanski.

Thorunn Hyrna created objects for a 10th century middle class person from Jutland that included a tasting horn, a blowing horn and a Hnefatal set.

Agatha Wanderer created objects for someone in the late 15th/early 16th century merchant class in Nuremberg in Southern Germany.  The objects included two versions of a Lengberg castle “bra”, a pair of underwear, a leather pouch with pouchets, a set of zopfe (false hair braids) made of linen and stuffed with wool roving, and a hair accessory called a gefrens that is worn at the nape of the neck. Agatha was the overall winner of the division with more than five entries.

Alec Craig created arrows and forks for a trader or raider in the area of Scotland.  They were made with bone arrow heads from cow bones, hide glue made from raw hide, sinew from deer tendons, forsythia shafts, and turkey and goose feathers.

Anna Dokeianina Syrakousina created objects for a Byzantine court lady in 11th century Constantinople.  She created an icon of St. Michael the Archangel, a mosaic of a black dolphin, a necklace of pearls and garnets, and oxymel syrup.

Anarra Karlsdottir brought a warp weighted loom suitable for a woman in 850’s Norway on which she has woven trim and fabric, then let anyone else at the event use so they could try weaving.  She was given special appreciation by Their Excellencies of Carolingia for the wonderful learning opportunity she provided.

Vibeke Steensdatter created objects for woman of some means in the Viking Age in Danmark who was likely connected to Christianity.  The objects included a naturally dyed apron dress, hood, shoes, knife sheath holding the best pocket knife, pouch and beeswax candles.  She was recognized for her achievement in the division for more than five objects.

Elaina Howys of Morningthorpe created object for someone in the 16th century Italian ruling class based on the clothing and jewelry of Eleanora Di Toledo.  The obects included a cream with gold summer petticoat, a rose velvet gown, pantlets, a velvet stay, a pair of linen socks, pearl necklaces and an embroidered camicie.

Her Highness Avelina Keyes created objects for a 7-9th century Anglo Saxon Queen in England.  The objects included a trichinopoly chain, beaver tooth pendants, Staffordshire hoard finding, bezel set mosaic glass and an Anglo Saxon men’s tunic.

His Highness Kenric aet Essex created objects for a 7th century Anglo Saxon king.  These objects included a seax sheath, knife sheaths, spoons, arm rings, wax tablets with styli, a wool pouch, bronze buckles, iron neck ring, and wool garters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Sir Michael of York, Master Joseph of the Red Griffin and Mistress Eleanor le Brun for the photos.

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