2020 KWHSS Proceedings
Table of Contents
The Art of Announcements- "Projection and Phrasing (Voice Heraldry)" Brian O'hUilliam.
- "A beginner’s guide to designing heraldry." Sigrith parði.
- "An Introduction on How to Blazon." Padraig Lowther.
- "Armorial Analysis via Semantic Networks: The Dering and Zurich Rolls." Oddr Þiálfason.
- "Complexity in Late Period English Heraldry: A statistical analysis of Insignia Anglica." Domhnall na Moicheirghe.
- "May the Furs be With You." Iago ab Adam.
- "56 Unisex Song Dynasty Mingzi From the Chinese Biographical Database." Maral of Dragon's Mist.
- "A Comparison of Naming Practices in Eastern and Western Finland in Late 16th Century." Pietari Uv.
- "A Couple of Hundred English Place-Names." Nicholas de Estleche dictus le Tardif.
- "Complex Roman Names." Ursula Georges.
- "Everything You Never Wanted to Know about Irish Names & Language But You Were Forced to Find Out." Brían dorcha ua Conaill.
- "Introduction to SCA Household Names." Alys Mackyntoich.
- "Meigaku: Designing and Documenting Japanese Names." Sólveig Thróndardóttir.
- "History of Paper and Parchment." Elena Wyth.
- "Making Brazilwood Ink." Ian the Green.
- "Making Paintbrushes." Marion Forester.
- "Middle Eastern Pigment Palette." Elena Wyth.
- "Trade in Pigments and Artist Materials in Medieval Europe." Marion Forester.
- "Bâtarde Calligraphy." Thyra Eiriksdottir.
- "Beginning Gothic Textura Quadrata (Blackletter) on Training Wheels." Þorfinn Hrolfsson.
- "Reading and Writing Beneventan Minuscule." Gunðormr Dengir.
- "Diversity and Inclusivity for Court and Ceremonial Heralds." Sara al-Garnatiyya.
- "SCA Names for the Twenty-First Century: Beyond Europe, Beyond the Gender Binary." Juliana de Luna.
- "Laurel Queen of Arms: Ask Me Anything." Juliana de Luna.
- "Name Conflict with the Name Pattern Search Form." Tanczos Istvan.
- "OSCAR Commentary: How to Be a Good Commenter." Lilie Dubh inghean ui Mordha.
- "Past the Great Wall: Getting your Chinese submission from one end of the Silk Road to the other." Wu Yun.
- "Pelican Queen of Arms: Ask Me Anything." Alys Mackyntoich.
- "What’s In This Name? (Summarizing documentation for Pelican)." Lilie Dubh inghean ui Mordha
- "Beyond Banners and Shields." Beatrice Shirwod
- "From Scribal Spectacle to a Life of Letters." katherine kerr
- "Sakubun: Composing Japanese Official Documents." Sólveig Þróndardóttir
The Art of Announcements
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Projection and Phrasing (Voice Heraldry). By Brian O'hUilliam (External link to the recorded presentation).
Drawing on experiences with theatre, choir, and heraldry, this class will discuss techniques to help you be better heard and understood as a herald or public speaker.
Armoury
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A Beginner’s Guide to Designing Heraldry. By Sigrith parði (Proceedings article PDF).
An introductory guide aimed towards people who are interested in designing arms but aren’t sure where to start. Originally designed to be a printable handout for events where online resources are hard to access. I’ve tried to keep it fairly short and accessible to beginners, so some details like SFPPs, complexity counting and marshalling have been left out.
As an extra, there are twenty example devices in this guide that have a full blazon underneath. These were all clear of conflict at the time of writing. Feel free to offer these to clients, or register yourself if one particularly takes your fancy. -
An Introduction on How to Blazon. By Padraig Lowther (External link to the recorded presentation).
This recorded class covered the basics of blazon as practiced in the SCA, including the order of charge groups, the terms used to describe them, and shall include reference to examples. -
Armorial Analysis via Semantic Networks: The Dering and Zurich Rolls. By Oddr Þiálfason (Proceedings article PDF and external link to the recorded presentation).
This is a discussion about a novel technique in analysing armorials. It will focus on the application of technology to exhaustively discover structural patterns in armoury as well as querying a set of armoury for specific patterns of interest. Some concepts from modern computer science (ie, knowledge graphs) will be illustrated, but the discussion will not rely on experience in either software engineering or mathematics. -
Complexity in Late Period English Heraldry: A statistical analysis of Insignia Anglica. By Domhnall na Moicheirghe (Class slides PDF and external link to the recorded presentation).
Results of a statistical analysis of the 16th century English armorial Insignia Anglica, particularly focusing on how to construct a device that would be authentic to late period England, whether the submitter is looking for low or high complexity. -
May the Furs be With You. By Iago ab Adam (Proceedings article PDF and external link to the recorded presentation).
An examination of the use, layout, and form of ermine and vair and their variants throughout Western Europe during the heraldic period. Includes instructions on drawing, painting and embroidering the different shapes and forms of the furs.
Onomastics
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56 Unisex Song Dynasty Mingzi From the Chinese Biographical Database. By Maral of Dragon's Mist (Proceedings article PDF).
A collection of míngzi from the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE) that were carried at least one female and at least one male person. -
A Comparison of Naming Practices in Eastern and Western Finland in Late 16th Century. By Pietari Uv (Proceedings article PDF, class slides PDF, and external link to the recorded presentation).
It is well known that there were clear differences between the naming practices in Eastern and Western Finland during the medieval / early modern period. However, studies have generally focussed on data from one of these regions, mainly in order to be able to do an in-depth analysis.
This study aims to be explicitly comparative, by taking a set of names from each of these regions and looking at the similarities and differences between the two sets.
In order to keep the two sets comparable, the data is taken from two tax registers in the third quarter of the 16th century, one in Upper Satakunta in western Finland in 1571 and another in Savonia Minor in eastern Finland in 1562–64. This is not altogether ideal, as it is clear that tax records had specific traditions with regard to how the names were recorded and thus the names do not fully reflect the practices in the overall community.
Nevertheless, it can be seen that while the given names in both registers are quite similar, the bynames show clearly that the underlying name systems differ. -
A Couple of Hundred English Place-Names. By Nicholas de Estleche dictus le Tardif (See below for files).
This submission to the proceedings includes the class slides PDF, a spreadsheet of messuage names extracted from the Discovery Catalogue of the UK National Archives, a spreadsheet listing dated names of hundreds (county divisions) in Gloucestershire, and an external link to the recorded presentation) -
Complex Roman Names. By Ursula Georges (Class slides PDF and external link to the recorded presentation).
Overview of naming patterns used in the classical Roman world. - Everything You Never Wanted to Know about Irish Names & Language But You Were Forced to Find Out. By Brían dorcha ua Conaill (External link to the recorded presentation).
A quick rundown on Primitive/Old/Middle/Early Middle Irish, on the difference between vernacular(s) and Classical Irish, on whyScottish and Irish can be treated as basically the same in period (and the exceptions, mainly in the name pools). Grammar, concentrating on the difference between nominative and genitive, on what lenition actually *is*, and on the construction of names. Then on various declensions of names, and why the genitive might not always be what you think it is. Also on various types of name (old and simple like Ailill or Aed, old and compound like Mac Beth, Nath Í, Christian borrowings like Eoin, Christian constructions like Gilla X or Mael X, Norse borrowings, Norman borrowings, English borrowings.) -
Introduction to SCA Household Names. By Alys Mackyntoich (External link to the recorded presentation).
Household names are one of the more difficult and misunderstood types of name submissions in the Society. This class will give a brief overview of the kinds of documentation necessary for household names, discuss why some names work with some designators while others do not, and debunk some of the common myths about household names that often trip up submitters. -
Meigaku: Designing and Documenting Japanese Names. By Sólveig Thróndardóttir (Web presentation of class slides).
The structure of Japanese personal and group names varied by time, period, and social status. This presentation discusses pre-modern names and the use of titles.
Inks, Pigments and Scribal Tools
- History of Paper and Parchment. By Elena Wyth (External link to the recorded presentation)
This lecture-style class will cover the history and evolution of both parchment and paper during the SCA period. - Making Brazilwood Ink. By Ian the Green (Class handout and external link to the recorded presentation)
Discusses the process of making brazilwood ink, and its many uses. - Making Paintbrushes. By Marion Forester (Class handout and external link to the recorded presentation).
Learn how to make paintbrushes using Cennini's instructions in The Craftmans Handbook. - Middle Eastern Pigment Palette. By Elena Wyth (External link to the recorded presentation).
This class includes a survey of raman spectroscopic studies and 2 Persian writing manuals that have been translated into English. Covered in the discussion will be the raw materials and pigments used as well as gouache substitutes for newer scribes. - Trade in Pigments and Artist Materials in Medieval Europe. By Marion Forester (Class handout and external link to the recorded presentation).
Medieval European artists used a wide variety of pigments and materials. Those materials came from all over the world. We'll track down the origins of those pigments and materials, the worldwide trade routes, and how the materials got into the hands of the artists.
Calligraphy and Palaeography
- Bâtarde Calligraphy. By Thyra Eiriksdottir (External link to the recorded presentation)
This class will discuss the distinctive letter forms of the bâtarde hand (aka bastarda, bastard secretary, Gothic cursive). We will look at a source from northern Europe in the late 15th century, and discuss how to reproduce it (and by extension, other versions of the hand). The intent will be for attendees to try this themselves, but it is not required. The intended audience has some experience with calligraphy, but anyone is welcome to try. It is recommended to have a 1-1.5mm nib. Optionally, a work surface that can be propped at an angle may help (a long board that rests in the lap and against the table will work, as will a board propped on books on a non-slip surface). - Beginning Gothic Textura Quadrata (Blackletter) on Training Wheels. By Þorfinn Hrolfsson (Class handout and external link to the recorded presentation).
This is a review of the texts written in Quadrata and an analysis of the whole page, followed by a semi practical instruction on how to write Quadrata and make it look like what is in the texts. - Reading and Writing Beneventan Minuscule. By Gunðormr Dengir (See below for files).
An introduction to how to read documents in Beneventan Minuscule. There are three parts to this entry in the proceedings: The first is Reading and Writing Beneventan Minuscule. The second is the practical exercises, in Reading Beneventan...Together!, and the third is the answer key to the exercises.
Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity
- Diversity and Inclusivity for Court and Ceremonial Heralds. By Sara al-Garnatiyya (External link to the recorded presentation).
This is a round table discussion of pitfalls and best practices in court and ceremonial heraldry. The discussion will also include cultural appropriation. This is designed to be a forum where we can discuss what we've seen that worked, where we've had struggles, and what we can do better. - SCA Names for the Twenty-First Century: Beyond Europe, Beyond the Gender Binary. By Juliana de Luna (External link to the recorded presentation).
This class explores the ways in which our research and practice on name registration is moving beyond our old limitations and how new research can move it still further.
Processes
- Laurel Queen of Arms: Ask Me Anything. By Juliana de Luna (External link to the recorded presentation).
The Laurel Queen of Arms is the chief herald of the Society. Dame Juliana de Luna has been doing heraldic research on a variety of topics for a really long time. Ask her anything! She just might answer. She's especially interested in talking about how we can make policy better and more inclusive, what kinds of documentation heralds are looking for (and how you can get involved), and why heralds do the things they do. - Name Conflict with the Name Pattern Search Form. By Tanczos Istvan (External link to the recorded presentation).
This class is an introduction to how to conflict check names using the name pattern search form. It is only one method. It will briefly touch on how name conflict works, then introduce the way that the form defines "patterns" and how to effectively write these patterns to detect many sound-alike names in the O&A. - OSCAR Commentary: How to Be a Good Commenter. By Lilie Dubh inghean ui Mordha (External link to the recorded presentation).
Ack! How do I say what needs to be said? What do I need to look at in name items in OSCAR? Come learn how to be a good and valuable commenter in OSCAR. We will go over what needs to be looked at, how to judge documentation, and how to be tactful when needed. - Past the Great Wall: Getting your Chinese submission from one end of the Silk Road to the other. By Wu Yun (External link to the recorded presentation).
A systematic discussion on how to get your Chinese name and armoury through the submissions process, while saving your and your herald's sanity. - Pelican Queen of Arms: Ask Me Anything. By Alys Mackyntoich (External link to the recorded presentation).
Ever wonder what the Pelican Queen of Arms actually does? How decisions to register or return names are made? What’s good documentation or bad documentation? In this hour, participants will have the chance to ask Alys Pelican about her job, about names research, and just about anything else. Alys will not discuss possible decisions on submissions in process. - What’s In This Name? (Summarizing documentation for Pelican) By Lilie Dubh inghean ui Mordha (External link to the recorded presentation).
What's In This Name? -when you as consulting herald (or as Kingdom Submissions Herald) need to write up name documentation, what do you actually need to write down? What information does the Pelican Sovereign and their team need when they review the name? Come learn how to summarize name documentation for every possible type of name on your forms and in OSCAR.
Ambiance
- Beyond Banners and Shields, or “My device and/or badge just passed, what can I do with it?” By Beatrice Shirwod (Proceedings article PDF).
This article gives numerous examples of the myriad of ways that people can display their device or badge at SCA events, that is not on a banner or shield. - From Scribal Spectacle to a Life of Letters. By katherine kerr (Proceedings article PDF).
Or how to enrich your persona and SCA life using your scribal skills to take you – and others – far beyond scrollwork and into the real world (for a certain value of reality). Accompanied by guides on analysing period paperwork for reproduction and using late-period conventions to write a short thank you note letter-locked in period style. - Sakubun: Composing Japanese Official Documents. By Sólveig Þróndardóttir (Class handout).
You too can compose Japanese scroll texts. An introduction to the structure, style, and attestation of official Japanese laws, edicts, correspondence, and official documents in English or Japanese. Based on a 16c Jesuit guide to Japanese documents and the texts of Heian Period imperial documents, and illustrated by medieval exemplars.