TENT - period encampment ideas?

[Tanya Guptill]

Greetings, Madeleine! :)   (jeannette at hatfield.on.ca)

You asked:

>  I was wondering how much encampments changed
> over the centuries, I was hoping to devise an encampment for my household, and
> we all come from a wide range of time periods and locations.  I want to set up
> the encampment so that nothing would seem out of place in any of the time
> periods, is such a thing possible?

I've taken the liberty of copying your question to the Medieval Encampments mailing
group, so they can get in the discussion if they wish.

You didn't mention what the range of cultures and time period were, but there are
some elements that can be seem throughout the centuries.  However, if you have
someone doing an Eastern persona (i.e. Japanese)  you may have to do more research::

Tents--a wedge tent, sometimes called an A-frame, was common  from Roman to
           modern times.  The external decorations may change a bit from area to
area, but
           you would find most of them with a ridge pole and a pole at each end of
the
           ridge pole, perpendicular to the ground.  The 'Norse' a-frame, with its
heavy
           frame, would be an aberration.

           Conical tents were also used through the 9th-18th centuries, and are easy
to
           put up and very windstable.  Walled, cabin-type tents were used by
           the Romans,  but then not seen again until later or in other
           cultures (Nepalese, etc). .  For more information on what shapes
            were used throughout history, check out Stephen Wyley's tent
            database, at
http://www.geocities.com/svenskildbiter/Tents/Tenttypes/typeindex.html

Fire--a dug fire pit.  I would feel comfortable using an iron tripod, but I don't
have
         the information on time frames for that. Anyone?

Chair--folding camp stools go back to Roman Times,  (and I think Corun has them
              documented back to ancient China).   Carpets for lounging would
              work, too, though documentation usually shows them inside the tents,
with
              the flaps open.   Simple benches would work, too. is for military or
pilgrims.
              Plans for camps stools can be found
              at  http://www.teleport.com/~tguptill/chair3romanstool.pdf

Torches/Lanterns--I can't think of a style that would be universal for this...except

              maybe pitch torches.  For a later style, there are plans at
               http://www.teleport.com/~tguptill/light2torch.pdf

Table/Cooking area--Attached awnings aren't period, unless you are Muslim, but
             non-tent canopies have been documented in several cultures
            (including Mongol, Italian, and French)  Haven't seen them for early
period
            though.    I don't know how early Trestle tables go, (the plans I have
at
            http://www.teleport.com/~tguptill/table2trestle.pdf   list it as 1340)
but
            they might be generic enough to work.

Layout--the information I have about layouts of camps is for military camps, so I
don't
           think it would apply for you and your friends.


Hope this helps!

Mira



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