[Sca-cooks] muslim/islamic courts

[Pixel, Goddess and Queen]

Last years summer Prince and Princess did a court at our big summer event
in period style (she's ME, he's 1st Crusade German) and there were two
courts, a men's and a women's. Big flat dais, lots of rugs, hangings,
pillows. Leyla did her research pretty thoroughly (she'd better have,
she'd just been laureled for ME costume and research) so I imagine at
least some of it was dead-on accurate. IIRC Leyla is Bedouin.

She also encouraged people to attend in drag, and we did have a handful of
women in kilts at the men's court and a few men in full ME dress and face
veils at women's court. I was a proper lady and hid in the back behind the
trees, with my face covered. ;-)

Incidentally, it caused great controversy in the Principality. My husband
boycotted court entirely, as did many others.

Margaret

On Tue, 15 Oct 2002, Sue Clemenger wrote:

> Unfortunately, not much narrowing.  It's not a topic about which I am at
> ALL knowledgable, and the guy for whom I'm asking doesn't know either.
> I get the impression that it's roughly 11th-14th centuries, and more
> Middle-Eastern, less European/Andalusian.  At this point, he's just
> looking for sources for general data (did people sit on pillows? how did
> they show reverence? how were the audience rooms/court areas decorated?
> did they have heralds in ways similar to European courts, etc.).
> I don't think he's much into really authentic stuff (more's the shame),
> but (if possible), I'd like to steer him towards the better sources
> (whatever they turn out to be).
> --Maire
>