Ohio University Medieval Society studies the culture of the Middle Ages.
There is a small band of sword-wielding, archery-trained, medieval-era aficionados that meets in Grover Hall every Tuesday.
The Ohio University Medieval Society focuses on immersing themselves in the Middle Ages, the time period from 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D.
“It is a group of history enthusiasts that are focused on recreating the romanticized aspects of medieval life,” Morgan Varner, the president of the medieval society, said. “So looking at the arts and the sciences, things that medieval people would have created or used or how they used to live.”
Varner, a junior studying environmental and plant biology, said they try to have a workshop each Tuesday, with previous weeks' topics including medieval knitting techniques and a crash course in alchemy.
“Minus the poisonous chemicals. We can’t actually have those on campus,” Lauren Weber, a member of the society and a junior studying music production, said.
Ashley McLean, a member of the medieval society and a sophomore studying mechanical engineering, originally set out to join a calligraphy club, but found the society at the Involvement Fair.
“I did get to learn about calligraphy and illumination, but now I’m doing fencing and heavy armor combat and tablet painting, too,” McLean said.
Varner was also attracted to the club, specifically the costumes, at the fair her freshman year.
“I just saw this table surrounded by people in awesome clothes and thought that this could be for me,” Varner said.
The group had a medieval fashion show Sept. 15, during which members showed off their handmade, period-accurate clothing.
“I actually bought mine at the auction,” McLean said, referring to her red and blue dress. “At the end of the year we have an auction, the Shire of Dernehealde Auction, where we make and sell things to raise money for the club.”
While McLean is in the process of sewing her own costume, Varner and others were finished in time for the show.
“We really put a lot of work into it,” Varner said, motioning to an impeccably dressed king, a noble with a Gaelic replica sword and a Mongol in a towering hat.
The costumes are only one part of what they do, Varner said. They also really focus on engaging themselves in whichever historical facet they can think of.
“We’ve been talking about maybe getting someone who’s really good at dance to come down and give us a dance class, which sounds fun,” Varner said. “And sometimes we have people come from other equivalent college groups at other colleges that do the same thing and they’ll come and fight with us.”
Fighting is a large part of the society, though its weekly practices vary.
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“Sometimes it’s just theoretical,” Varner said. “But sometimes you just get to fight each other with your swords and shields.”
Weber didn’t know what to think of the group when she first saw them.
“I thought it was LARPing,” Weber said, referring to live action role-playing. “But it’s honestly much more than that. It’s a good place to go if you feel down.”
Varner said the participation varies, with some showing up when they can and some just going to the fighting practices.
“(Ohio University Medieval Society) is entirely what you make of it. If you want to just go to the workshops? That’s great. If you want to do the classes and the fighting and extra outside activities? That’s great, too,” Varner said.
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