Medieval Tent

[Mike W.]

Seeing as tent designs didn't change much between the 11th century and the 19th century, could I probably get away with using a Civil War A-Frame tent at Days of Knights? It looks be very similar in shape and size, as well as being made from plain white canvas.

[Ian]

Tents change drastically from the 11th to 19th century.  An a-frame civil war tent would not be appropriate for a medieval pavilion.

[Thorsteinn]

Why? People have been using Wedge Tents (and Wall Tents) since ancient times and they have seen almost no change. Why would it be inappropriate? It's not a Viking A-Frame or Geteld afterall.

[Mike W.]

I can't afford a pavilion tent and I'm not going to buy one for one event a year. Civil War A-Frames are quite similar to a viking wedge tent.


You can barely tell that there's any difference.

[Mike W.]

They're both plain white canvas, both the same dimension, both have the same door styles, both set up exactly the same way, both are of the same pattern and design. I fail to see why it would be unacceptable.

[Ian]

I don't know much of anything about Norman tentage.  If you can document a simple wedge for Normans then I suppose it would be fine.  I always pictured those side-opening wedges when thinking about a proper Norman tent.  As long as your tent matches your impression it's perfectly fine. 

This is what the resident Norman at DoK uses:

[Sir Wolf]

and that , is wrong. lol

a norman would use a geteld. it looks like a wedge but the ends stretch out to a point. it also uses a horizontal ridge pole that stretches out further than the material.  a wedge can be found in "viking" time frames. they just have a different system in the pole structures. a wedge, would work for norman, i have seen some groups use them for hospitatler.

[Thorsteinn]

Sir Wolf, I was hoping to get a Geteld for my family tent. What is the "When & Where" of it's use?

[Sir Wolf]

Geteld shaped tents are found on the oldest available tent images, the C9th Utrecht Psalter and the C12th Eadwine Psalter.


http://www.ydalir.co.uk/crafts/tent/pattern.htm make one yourself

[Mike W.]

In that case, that leaves to either bumming tent space from another, or sleeping in my car

[Sir Wolf]

no i would use a cw tent if you have it. i have even seen 16thc groups use them.

[Sir James A]

If I remember right, there is space to set up modern tents away from the period tents. So you could still get and use a regular "modernish" style tent, just couldn't have it set up with the rest of the time line. Same as having a modern cot or air mattress or such; not visible during "open" hours, but still viable for use when the public isn't there. The viking style tents that I saw (I think viking, not my period of interest at all) were open on both ends, and had visible frame bits where the top pole came out the front and back too.

Here's a pic from DoK 2012:

[scott2978]

This Days of Knights event seems fun. Maybe some day I can get all the stuff together to make it out there.

[Sir Nate]

Tents have changed. Some used to have a sort of dome at the part and were round

[Sir Gerard de Rodes]

I think you may find something like this is a more authentic Norman style. The main difference between these and a 15th century soldier/campaign tent is the ridge pole is external to the body of the tent in a sort of sleeve along the top.

http://www.gambeson.pl/medieval-on-line-shop/cotton-tents/norman-style-tent-cotton-4x8.html

G.