The SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Our “Known World” consists of 20 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, various classes & workshops, and more. The SCA practices different forms of combat to include: Armoured Combat in the SCA is a recreation of combat between two or more armored knights fighting on foot. These combats can occur in single combat, such as a tournament, or in group or team battles, called melees. The first and most important concept in armoured combat, as with all combat in the SCA, is that each and every fighter has honor and will act in an honorable fashion. This means, among other things, that the fighters will acknowledge and accept disabling or killing blows in combat. Rapier Combat in the SCA strives to recreate the art of defense in the later 15th and 16th centuries. These were duels of honor, and were often fought to the death of one (or both!) opponents. While rapier combat within the SCA resembles strip fencing, there are several differences between the two styles, including the ability to move in a wider area and the use of both hands for weapons or blocking attacks. Archery takes two different forms in the Society. There are plenty of opportunities to practice with the longbow, recurve or crossbow in a target-shooting environment, as well as those archers who wear armour and shoot on the armoured combat field. Each of these two forms has its own rules and regulations to make them safe for all participants. Fighting is not the only activity offered in the SCA, although it's the most visible. Arts and Sciences (A&S) encompasses everything having to do with day-to-day life in the Middle Ages.
