Society for Creative Anachronism is a
non-profit educational organization dedicated to
researching and re-creating pre-
17th Century European (mostly)
history.
Some topics of study include sewing, calligraphy, court dancing, embroidery, fighting, cooking, fencing, armor making, brewing, playing musical instruments, illumination, candlemaking, archery, middle eastern dancing, boot making, singing, and that's just to start with.*
The SCA was founded by some folks in Berkeley, California in 1966, and over time has spread through every state in the USA, Canada, most of Western Europe, parts of Eastern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan (and is still growing). Currently there are fifteen kingdoms, with one more about to be created at any moment**.
For some real, official information: http://www.sca.org/
* As I've said occasionally, "If someone did it back then, someone in the SCA does it, except for assassination, torture, and, of course, the Black Death."
** Lochac (aka Australia) is about to split off from the Kingdom of the West.
Last updated 2002-01-08