Authenticity

Within the SCA, there is the desire to recreate many of the wonders and behaviors of the middle ages. Whether it be through period garb and encampments, cooking from a medieval cookbook, or studying fighting manuals of the swordmasters, many strive for authenticity in their works.

Authenticity is defined as:

• Worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact
• Conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features
• Made or done the same way as an original

There are many other re-enactment groups that hold authenticity as a requirement for joining. In the SCA, authenticity can be thought of more as a goal. You start off with a t-tunic, sweat pants and sandles and build on that using primary sources (original manuscripts, artwork and artifacts from the time), and solid secondary sources (sources that research and cite the primary sources, such as books and documentaries), until you have an authentic persona with garb, feastgear, armour and songs that could have existed in the middle ages.

--Rashid al-Qasim, June 22 AS 46/2011