Even looking at the LivingHistory.uk site

Why does it seem that almost everyone is either 15th centruy or Norman/Anglo Saxon/Viking (well 8th-11th century).

There are a few crusades groups and HYW groups here and there but the majority seem to be in those eras, WOR and more or less Norman conquest.

In the US i think the SCA eats all the 14th century/HYW people up. Since that armour works best for SCA combat while maintaing the simi appropriate appearence.

But what about Europe?

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Europe is almost entirely SCA-free, but groups get infected with pervasive reenactor myths that become almost impossible to dispel because of herd mentality. You do have independent thinkers here and there like Joram and Jorge who actually look at source material rather than following along blindly, but they are in the minority.

Why those periods? Because of the beer and bash possibilities I suppose.

Something else is that you won't find a good group these days that seek to portray more then a quarter century after about 1300 because you just can't do it well. That is also a reason why certain slices of time tend to get more groups because the HYW is over a hundred years whereas the main section of the Wars of the Roses is about a quarter century and the Burgundian wars are less then a decade and a little more if you tack on things like the Common Weal. Most of the good groups in Europe also emphasize the lower classes or specific miltary units.

I started out doing late-13th century and changed specifically to a period that has the most people that I have some interest in. While I have pretty much completely abandoned anything 13th century, I had much broader and deeper interests there then I do in the late-15th century but that is where the people and events are.

I am not sure that I completely buy the arguement about the SCA sucking up 14th century people because the armour works well. I think one of the reasons it has become popular is just that. The problem with translating that over to LH/re-enactment is that the 14th century is too broad so you have to pick a time and place to do and there seems to be almost no concensus.

I think that same issue is one of the reasons why the SCA has not produced many late medieval groups. In the SCA you can prortray anything you wish so you can be the only late-14th century bohemian milkmaid if you want but to do LH/re-enactment you have to have some form of coheision and the more you have the easier it is.

As long as people seek to simply do what they want instead of looking to see what will work and how it will work you will continue to see the same things. That being said a great leader who can command the resources needed can probably make a group that does just about anything work anywhere but those people are extremely rare and even then it wouldn't ensure that group would have anyone else to play with.

Medieval groups are small, big medieval events are multi-bashes, very flexible with the era ranges.

WOTR is bigger than it used to be but is not huge.

ECWS is big, as it has two major societies, ECWS ans SK. Judging by LH site you would think there were three members rather than 4-5000 or so.

There are a number of Roman groups.

LH forum has been dominated by late medieval mainly because the other eras already have decent fora to play in. Either the fewer in number roman groups, so they can have a special place to play or the larger ECWS era groups because their membership is big enough to have self-sustaining fora. UK medieval is a big range of many small groups.

Also there is a lot of cross membership, often in the medieval eras.

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As far as the "living history" community is concerned, which is still not very homogenous, the main topics of interest are

- Early middle ages, consisting still mainly of viking age or skandivian iron age, but with the community of franks, saxonians and allamanen growing.
- Early high middle ages/late early middle ages: mainly normans aiming for hastings, mainly either people normally doing viking or high middle ages.
-High middle ages: here the main focus is about 1250. There are several earlier groups, and some of about 1300, but the majority does 13th century.
-Late Middle ages: Here the majority does late 15th century, arround 1470-80, because of several major events, for instance http://www.reichsaufgebot.de
And another, growing group, does 14th century, mainly located in the 2nd half, focused on the time of the hanse.

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Diu Minnezīt
Reconstruction of textiles, armour and daily life
1250,1350,1475
Nuremberg and Paris
http://www.diu-minnezit.de

IG Meisterhauw
Reconstruction of late medieval and early renaissance fencing techniques
http://www.meisterhauw.de

Because in germany, there is no heritage organisation, the quality differs very much from group to group. And of course, there are also some early groups (Bandkeramiker, Hallstadt time, celts, romans) as well as a lot of landsknechts, but those are...well...in most cases rather bad.

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Diu Minnezīt
Reconstruction of textiles, armour and daily life
1250,1350,1475
Nuremberg and Paris
http://www.diu-minnezit.de

IG Meisterhauw
Reconstruction of late medieval and early renaissance fencing techniques
http://www.meisterhauw.de

Another is the pricetag. It's damn expensive to get good, accurate gear...It's drowned out by cheesy, cheapo crap.
(it's "easy" to go to a vendor, pay up for a LOTR sword, slap it on yourself and call yourself Mr Awesome., it's "hard" to read books and study and make/seek out accurate gear)

Another is heritage/tradition. Rev War and ACW has the deepest and most immediate roots in American traditions. Now even with WW2 steadily gaining popularity, although I can see that being more generational/heritage influenced. (and the American obsession with firearms)

Some of it too is good information. Although good research has been done and is still being done on things like "Western Martial Arts", I think we still have a long ways to go, in the meantime, some groups [in the SCA and some Ren Faires and such] still think they can get away with just about anything, partially because of pre-concieved notions/hard held fantasies, and sheer arrogance/denial of the research.

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Andy V.
You're friendly neighborhood Roman Dude

in the UK because there is so much 'average' kit available it is easier for people to plug in and play, however a lot also use really bad kit that people do the same with. There is a lot of 'generic' medievalism, too many saying "I want to do medieval" with no concept of specific eras. That is a bugbear of mine, one of many I hasten to add ;-)

I have to say that my impression from US reenactors (of all stripes) that there seems a lot more emphasis on knowledge sharing. Reading the AA, which seems mainly SCA focused I am very encouraged by that. It is certainly not the case here, at least not to that built in prominence that seems to happen there. I wish there was a bit more of that this side of the pond.

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quote:

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Originally posted by gregory23b:
I have to say that my impression from US reenactors (of all stripes) that there seems a lot more emphasis on knowledge sharing. Reading the AA, which seems mainly SCA focused I am very encouraged by that. It is certainly not the case here, at least not to that built in prominence that seems to happen there. I wish there was a bit more of that this side of the pond.

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That is interesting. Why do you think there is not much information sharing over there?

There is loads of amity etc but I really like the way the SCA put an emphasis on learning new things, that concept is a good one, I am not commenting on the actual things learned in the specific as that will be a moveable feast.

Also that there seems to be much more guts re publishing info or opinion.

I am not saying we do not have any, but it seems much smaller scale and amongst smaller groups.

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I'm currently watching a thread on a UK reenactment forum in which an 'expert' is spouting all sorts of nonsense about 15th C. doublets. It has a very AA feel about it, the 'expert' clearly has a thing or two to learn and noone is challenging the statements being made. In some ways, I think the UK 'experts' are even more unassailable than here in the US.

There's a funny undercurrent of reserve regarding the exchange of information that is very interesting to watch, and to be part of. Funny amusing, funny frustrating and funny mystifying all at the same time. It's like watching British comedy- one recognizes it as comedy, yet some of the jokes go right by.

But that's just my personal experience, I'm sure it's quite different when one is truly part of the scene.

quote:

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Originally posted by Ginevra:
I'm currently watching a thread on a UK reenactment forum in which an 'expert' is spouting all sorts of nonsense about 15th C. doublets. It has a very AA feel about it, the 'expert' clearly has a thing or two to learn and noone is challenging the statements being made. In some ways, I think the UK 'experts' are even more unassailable than here in the US.

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I know what you mean Gwen, re 'experts' it is hard to offer opinion or ideas without it being taken as read as truth. I think there must be a need for definitive yes or no answers, no one likes a vacuum I guess.

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quote:

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Originally posted by gregory23b:
Alan, I think that is a goood point, I hadn't thought of that aspect as it happens.

I know what you mean Gwen, re 'experts' it is hard to offer opinion or ideas without it being taken as read as truth. I think there must be a need for definitive yes or no answers, no one likes a vacuum I guess.

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True - if [we] all want to have everyone in *good* kit, why withhold the information that's available, it's destructive to be closed-minded and stubborn on information - even if it's vague or weak or whichever. I know I feel better getting people on line with [suppliers] of good gear so they don't waste thier money on junk (like the infamous Roman "Trooper" helmet - blech!)

I can see reenacting a [Medieval] Guild where you do want to keep a high level of secrecy on techniques and information - but it serves no purpose to the general public OR potential reenactors who need the information so they don't look like goobers in poor kit.

*shrug*

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Andy V.
You're friendly neighborhood Roman Dude