SC - Definitions and Examples: Period, Peri-oid and OOP

[Nicholas Sasso]

<<<<<  One of the problems with saying 'it's not period unless we have a complete
recipe" is that you are using the term period in a way that is far more
specific than the way in which a the general scadian would understand it,
and it leads to logical absurdities. For instance, even if we could proved
that they ate raw [insert fruit here], we would be defining raw [insert
fruit here] as not period, but merely periodoid. Furthermore, the
collective intelligence of this list seems to claim that we have no
recipes for plain roast beef, as opposed to made dishes of roast beef. To
claim that roasting beef is therefore not period-- given other sources
mentioning roast beef-- is to step into the dark world of SCAdian
Authenticist Myth. >>>>>>>

Using the term 'period' is avoided by scholars and historians on this list specifically as ambiguous and lacking descriptive value.  It lacks perspective of who, when, what and where.  To say "they" did {insert favorite controversial topic here} "in period" has little value in terms of accurately depicting historically accurate information.  To say "We have evidence of the use of Mustard sauces by nobility in several cultures including 1393 Paris, 15th century London, 15th century France, 1465 Naples and 13th century Germany" gives a specific assertion that can be reviewed by peers and avaluated for huristic value.    The vague statement of 'period' adds little to understanding or knowledge level of the speaker or listener.

I have not remembered a claim on this list specifically that roast beef is not period.  I have several references from Platina and Scully that suggest plain roasted beef was difficult on the body and needed proper cooking (boiling) and spicing (often mustard) to make eat digestable and nourishing to the body.  I do not have any reference to directly controvert these assertions; assumptions and suppositions do not provide strong evidence in debate of historical accuracies.  To claim reverse logic as proof is sloppy logic/research (that is a VERY kind phrase):  "I don't have anything to prove that Cheddar cheese is not period, so it is just as plausible that it is period."  That is actually the logic of an early adolescent (no judgement call here, just rel;aying developmental theory of Jean Piaget, IIRC).  

Valid assertions and research are founded on considered evaluations of evidence available and the sources of that evidence.  This includes looking forward and backwards from your target time/place frame to find out what is available in those areas; likewise looking at neighboring regions.  The "dark world of SCAdian
Authenticist Myth" is created by people making vague assertions based on sloppy reasearch who are trying to sound important or knowledgable.  I assert that a person making an informed, considered statement based on knowledge of a valid body of work currently available does not do a disservice to our hobby or its participants.  

It is the flakes that say baked potatoes are period because they have one mention of one unkown person once trying to roast an unknown white root in the fire (whether he ate it or not) that cause problems are are first to squeel like stuck pigs when cahllenged on their logic:  "You're just being Authenticity Nazis!!".

pacem et bonum,
fra niccolo difrancesco