Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the September 2017 meetings, printed November 28, 2017
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Juliana Laurel, Alys Pelican, and Cormac Wreath, greetings.
As many of you know, as Pelican I wrote a monthly series about name resources. As Laurel, I want to continue this, now pointing out resources of broad interest. Send your questions and great resources.
This month, I want to talk about the List of Alternative Titles and the revisions we've just made to it. The List of Alternative Titles, found at http://heraldry.sca.org/titles.html, gives versions of titles in a variety of period languages. The titles themselves are of mixed quality: some are revised based on recent research and match what we know about period practice. Others are older and largely represent translations of the English terms into that language, whether or not they were used in that way in period. For example, Rey, the Spanish word for king, is a period term, but would never have been used before the name of a king; instead the general term of respect Don was used before his name and the title Rey or Rey de kingdom name used after his name. But it's a great resource regardless for those who want culturally appropriate terms for titles.
I picked this month to talk about this because we are rolling out a major revision to the List, incorporating space for gender-neutral terms for titles. It's a work in progress, with relatively few spaces filled in. But we hope that it will be the start of a fruitful conversation about how to provide useful options that are inclusive of all people. If you're interested in participating in this project, please feel free to reach out to Palimpsest at [email protected] or to me directly at [email protected].
After many years of service, Marie de Blois is stepping down as Clarion Herald. Therefore, we are seeking applicants for this position. Clarion has the responsibility for encouraging heraldic education at all levels.
This deputy is tasked with the following duties, plus other such tasks as assigned by Laurel:
Working with Kingdoms and Laurel to improve heraldic education
Acting as a resource for kingdoms in their own heraldic education programs
Encouraging the production of online education resources and coordinating to make them available on the Laurel website
Preparing quarterly reports to Laurel on the status of heraldic education
Please email your resume (SCA and modern if appropriate) as well as a short description of your experience related to this job to Laurel at [email protected]. The application period ends on January 31, 2018.
This month's consideration of the device of Rynion of Raven's Cove brought up the question: where do held charges fit when considering charge group theory and whether a submission must be returned for "slot machine."
The August 2015 Cover Letter established that all held charges that weren't co-primary that were large enough to grant difference if separately considered as a secondary or tertiary charge would be given the same consideration when held. This change to our policy required held charges to have good contrast, identifiability, and (in later interpretation) a recognizable and blazonable orientation.
Under this precedent, it's clear that if a primary charge is holding another charge that is not co-primary, this charge must by definition be secondary. However, it was not clear how this should be interpreted when the holding charge is, itself secondary. The held charges being on the field but not central to the design, are by our charge group theory considered secondaries, as is the holding charge. So are these charges in the same charge group, or separate charge groups?
If the held charges are not of equal visual weight and thus would not be considered "co-primary" if the holding charge were the primary charge, then they are not in the same charge group as the holding charge, regardless of the holding charge's placement within the overall armorial design. Thus, in the pattern being considered this month, [Field], an [ordinary] between two [charge A] and a [charge B] maintaining a [charge C], the ordinary is the primary charge, and charges A, B, and C are secondary charges, with charges A and B in one charge group and charge C in a separate charge group.
Please note that this means that, barring an IAP, we will not register tertiary charges holding charges that are not co-equal in visual weight, due to our prohibition against registering armory with two different tertiary charge groups on the same charge.
Recent commentary has brought up a question on a long-accepted charge: the Hand of Fatima, also known as a hamsa. The charge, typically depicted as a stylized hand with the outer digits turning outward at the tips in vertical symmetry, was first registered in September 1971. Since then, it has been registered a total of 24 times, most recently in October 2015. There is a precedent from October 2015, in the registrations of Safiyya bint Khalid ibn Hamdun, that "A hand of Fatima is a specific depiction of a hand and is not a step from period practice." However, no images of the symmetrical, digits-turned-out motif of a Hand of Fatima has been provided. While most literature provided is in agreement that symbols described as Hands of Fatima or khamsas was used by Muslims and Jews in period, including in al-Andalus, placing the symbol squarely in Western Europe, the few extant depictions I've tracked down do not support this stylization. One example is a Hand of Fatima carved above the exterior arch of the Puerta de la Justicia at the Alhambra in Spain. However, the actual depiction is a cubit arm with a stylized flourish at the palm, and naturalistic digit placement.
I'm calling on commenters to seek out and provide evidence of the modern, symmetrical depiction of a Hand of Fatima in period artwork. Absent evidence that this artistic variant of a hand is documentable prior to the 17th century, we may have to discontinue its allowance in submissions as a modern design.
Congratulations to Keinvryd ferch Talan, Gold Forest (local herald for the Barony of Gyldenholt), who welcomed a baby girl on August 19th.
At A Grand Royal Event in Lochac, on October 14, 2017, ffride wlffsdotter, long-term commenter, was inducted into the Order of the Silver Pegasus, their grant-level service award.
On October 14, 2107, at Calontir Crown Tournament, Konstantia Kaloethina, former Gold Falcon Principal Herald and Greek Fire Herald Extraordinary, was made a Baroness of Their Majesties' Court.
On October 15, 2017, at A Right Royal Tourney, in Lochac, Brķan dorcha ua Conail, long-term commenter, was inducted into the Order of the Laurel for his linguistic work. The Laurel office has benefited greatly from his skill and looks forward to what he does next.
On October 19, 2017, at War of the Wings in Atlantia, Cian mac Ceallachįin hUķ Dubhlaich, Triton Principal Herald, was made a Baron of Their Majesties' Court.
Estienne Le Mons d'Anjou, Sea Stag Herald (Education) from Atlantia, has been chosen to become the next Society Minister of Arts and Sciences. We wish him the best of luck in his new position.
Please send information about happenings to major heralds and major happenings to all heralds to Laurel, so that it can be published here.
Letters of Intent, Comment, Response, Correction, et cetera are to be posted to the OSCAR online system. No paper copies need be sent. All submission forms plus documentation, including petitions, must be posted to the OSCAR online system. While black-and-white emblazons must be included in the Letter of Intent, only colored armory forms need to be posted in the forms area.
Cheques or money orders for submissions, payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms" are to be sent to Stephanie Ray-Solum, Blue Bug Bookkeeping, 2144 Westlake Ave. North Suite F Seattle, WA 98109.
Send roster changes and corrections to Laurel. College of Arms members may also request a copy of the current roster from Laurel.
For a paper copy of a LoAR, please contact Laurel, at the address above. The cost for one LoAR is $3. Please make all checks or money orders payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms". The electronic copy of the LoAR is available free of charge. To subscribe to the mailings of the electronic copy, please see the bottom of http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/lists.html#lists for more instructions.
For all administrative matters, please contact Laurel.
Items listed below in square brackets have not been scheduled yet. For information about future scheduling, please review the status table located on the Web at http://oscar.sca.org/index.php?action=137.
The September Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, September 10, 2017 and the Wreath meeting held on Sunday, September 10, 2017. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Gleann Abhann (06 Jun, 2017), Ęthelmearc (14 Jun, 2017), Caid (18 Jun, 2017), Laurel LoPaD (22 Jun, 2017), Ealdormere (24 Jun, 2017), Atlantia (26 Jun, 2017), Lochac (26 Jun, 2017), Artemisia (27 Jun, 2017), Drachenwald (27 Jun, 2017), Ansteorra (28 Jun, 2017), Northshield (28 Jun, 2017), An Tir (30 Jun, 2017), Avacal (30 Jun, 2017), Calontir (30 Jun, 2017), East (30 Jun, 2017), Laurel (30 Jun, 2017), Meridies (30 Jun, 2017), Middle (30 Jun, 2017), and Outlands (30 Jun, 2017). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Thursday, August 31, 2017.
The October Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, October 8, 2017 and the Wreath meeting held on Sunday, October 15, 2017. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Ansteorra (06 Jul, 2017), Gleann Abhann (09 Jul, 2017), Atenveldt (11 Jul, 2017), Ęthelmearc (17 Jul, 2017), An Tir (17 Jul, 2017), West (18 Jul, 2017), Laurel LoPaD (19 Jul, 2017), Ealdormere (24 Jul, 2017), Lochac (26 Jul, 2017), Middle (28 Jul, 2017), Atlantia (29 Jul, 2017), Caid (29 Jul, 2017), Calontir (29 Jul, 2017), East (29 Jul, 2017), Outlands (29 Jul, 2017), Artemisia (30 Jul, 2017), Atenveldt (30 Jul, 2017), Drachenwald (30 Jul, 2017), Avacal (31 Jul, 2017), Drachenwald (31 Jul, 2017), Meridies (31 Jul, 2017), Northshield (31 Jul, 2017), and Trimaris (31 Jul, 2017). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Saturday, September 30, 2017.
The November Laurel decisions will be made at the Pelican and Wreath meetings held on Sunday, November 12, 2017. These meetings will consider the following letters of intent: Gleann Abhann (03 Aug, 2017), Gleann Abhann (07 Aug, 2017), Avacal (16 Aug, 2017), An Tir (17 Aug, 2017), Middle (22 Aug, 2017), Ealdormere (24 Aug, 2017), Ęthelmearc (25 Aug, 2017), Laurel LoPaD (25 Aug, 2017), Lochac (25 Aug, 2017), Artemisia (27 Aug, 2017), Atenveldt (30 Aug, 2017), Atlantia (30 Aug, 2017), Calontir (30 Aug, 2017), Northshield (30 Aug, 2017), Artemisia (31 Aug, 2017), Caid (31 Aug, 2017), Drachenwald (31 Aug, 2017), Meridies (31 Aug, 2017), Middle (31 Aug, 2017), and Outlands (31 Aug, 2017). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
Not all letters of intent may be considered when they are originally scheduled on this cover letter. The date of posting of the LoI, date of receipt of the Laurel packet, or other factors may delay consideration of certain letters of intent. Additionally, some letters of intent received may not have been scheduled because the administrative requirements (receipt of the forms packet, receipt of the necessary fees, et cetera) have not yet been met.
REMINDER: Until all administrative requirements are met, the letter may not be scheduled.
Pray know that I remain,
In service,
Juliana de Luna
Laurel Queen of Arms
Created at 2017-11-28T22:29:16