Crests are cool. As part of your heralic display, all competitors are encouraged to bring a crest. They should survive the event as we aren't doing a behord mêlée this year.
Size Requirement
We are striving to re-create the look of a 15th century medieval tournament as described by King René and as illustrated in period manuscripts. Therefore there is a single size requirement:
make your crest about as big as your head
Why so large? For a historically accurate look. All of the manuscripts show this to be about the correct scale.
For reference, here are some period illustrations with examples. The first two are from King René's tournament book, the second row is from the 14th century flemish manuscript The Romance of Alexander and the third and fourth rows are from the Manesse Codex.
Crest FAQ's
- Can I use my 4 inch high crest, which is the minimum according to the SCA behord rules?
- Sure, but it won't recreate the look of a historical tournament, so we encourage you to make a larger one.
- Wouldn't a big crest be easier to hit?
- Yes. Practice blocking. And given we aren't doing a behord mêlée as part of Emprise XXI, these are just for display and pageantry.
- Are there any material or construction tips?
- The pink insulation foam that is generally used for jousting tips works very well. It is light, easy to shape, and takes paint well, plus we have a near endless supply of the stuff from jousting practice. Generally the lighter the crest, the better. Article to make a crest.
- Should I make a really nice crest?
- Yes! Looking great on the field is sure to win favor with the judges. Make the heraldic thing and display it!
