Our approach to history

In this blog, we provide more explanation on how our blogs are created. We explain which peoples we take as a starting point, and how we deal with their culture, religion, and mythology. Subsequently, we show the different ways to approach history and the choices we make when writing our blogs.

Our historical blogs, whether they are compilations (get the look) or informative texts, mainly focus on cultures that have evolved from the Indo-European culture. This is because almost all of our historical articles are based on objects from these cultures, whether it is early bronze Age, or the late Middle Ages. Occasionally, our Neolithic ancestors will be discussed, who along with our Indo-European ancestors make up a large part of our European DNA. And from time to time, we also refer to hunter-gatherer-fishers, or to cultures from other ethnic groups.

We are aware of the cultures and movements that do not originate from the Indo-European culture. Although these are at least equally interesting, this is not our area of expertise. We also try to avoid as much as possible the cultural appropriation of non-Indo-European expressions and traditions.

People do not spring up from the ground like mushrooms. Through conquest and migration, populations spread across the globe. With the help of DNA research, these movements can be mapped. Especially in prehistory, DNA research is incredibly useful for studying migration and cultural development.

Very broadly speaking, humanity spread across Europe as follows:

1. Approximately 400,000 years ago, Homo neanderthalensis appeared in Europe. They lived here for hundreds of thousands of years. Almost all Europeans have a small amount, about 1-2%, of this Neanderthal (NEA) gene.
2. About 45,000 years ago, Homo sapiens likely migrated from Africa to Europe: the hunter-gatherers / fishers. All Europeans have inherited a bit of DNA from them as well, abbreviated as WHG (Western Hunter Gatherer).
3. Between 8,000 and 9,000 years ago, the first Anatolian farmers settled in Europe. They are known as the Neolithic Farmers (Early European Farmers or EEF). Almost all Europeans are somewhat descended from them.
4. About 5,000 years ago, nomadic tribes moved from the Russian and Ukrainian steppes towards Europe. These people, the Western Steppe Herders (WSH), were the ancestors of almost all European cultures, such as the Greeks, Romans, Germans (Vikings), Slavs and Celts.

Because this last group spread across Europe from an archaeological 'horizon' of the Yamnaya and Corded Ware Culture, their language, the Proto-Indo-European, and culture were also spread throughout Europe. Due to this common ancestry, there are also parallels between the different cultures, which we will regularly highlight in our blogs.

Most of our blogs are about European cultures from the Iron Age around 800 BC. As seen above, the Indo-European peoples had already been living in Europe for about 2,500 years by then. Therefore, our blogs cover only a small part of human history.

Over the centuries, our ancestors have practiced various religions.

Between around 3000 BC and the early 11th century, and indirectly to this day, European paganism was widespread. European paganism is hierarchical and animistic, and it venerates the gods, ancestors, and spiritual forces in nature. European paganism is the religious tradition of the people who fill most of our framework.

From the late antiquity, Christianity emerged and gradually replaced paganism. From the perspective of our polytheistic European ancestors, the Christian god was initially 'just' an addition to the existing pantheon and then (probably unexpectedly) replaced all gods. Monotheistic Christianity adopted much from the old religion. Therefore, in both the (early) medieval religion and later folklore, countless pre-Christian elements are present. After all, the population did not change radically, only their religion did.

A myth is a story that conveys truths or values of a group of people, culture, or nation, allowing this group to identify with and understand the world. A myth can concern gods, supernatural appearances, or historical events. Therefore, myths must be treated with great respect. 

In the Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, mythological stories are placed within a historical timeline. This is not done in European paganism. The timeline is therefore looser and more fluid. However, this does not mean that this traditional expression should not be taken seriously. Entire peoples and cultures derive a large part of their identity and societal norms from these stories and traditions, and they have been passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years. 

In our blogs, we strive to align mythological and religious expressions with the original stories and values, so that we can keep the historical traditions as intact as possible.

When interpreting pagan myths, it is often not our goal to make a historical reconstruction, but to create an epic representation while keeping as many details and elements traditional as possible. For example: what is Thor without a hammer? 

Our ancestors knew no boundary between the natural and the supernatural. Everything was interconnected according to a lawful cosmic order. There existed a rich folklore that provided explanations for inexplicable phenomena. Characters such as dwarves and elves also originated from this worldview.

Sometimes we draw parallels between historical fantasy (folklore) and modern fantasy, such as Lord of the Rings and role-playing games like LARP and Dungeons & Dragons. In doing so, we try to keep the pattern around them as representative as possible, just as we do with mythology. 

When creating historical assemblies, we dedicate as much time to the assembly as we do to the cultural and historical context in which we place them. In our view, both are equally important because the reconstruction represents a culture and traditions, therefore we treat them with respect. This also means that we sometimes attempt to approach viewpoints that we as modern people do not agree with objectively. According to this interpretation, we attempt to express their traditions. 

Our starting point is that history is about the culture in question, the resulting traditions, and the way people lived at that time. The outfit and objects express this. How accurate a setting must be is entirely dependent on the (personal) goal. 

When creating historical assemblies, we use products that we sell ourselves. Our enormous range offers a great advantage in this. However, compared to all objects from European history, the supply is limited. For example, many of our clothing items are made from cotton. All clothing items we sell have a certain edition per year, and clothing that does not sell, we do not produce. 

Therefore, our historical outfits are an approximation, and we do not claim that the outfits are 100% historically accurate. For example, we have a limited range of 16th-17th century clothing and the Etruscan culture is underrepresented. In such cases, we choose to create an assembly that is as accessible as possible and provides a representation as close as possible to the historical original.

If you want to wear a 100% museum-worthy historically accurate outfit, it is better to make the clothing yourself (with self-woven fabrics) and complement it with accessories, such as belts, buckles, and footwear from our range. 

We are aware of all the work and effort that living historians put into creating the most representative outfit possible. We have been (living) historians and (experimental) archaeologists ourselves for many years and have a lot of experience with this. With our blogs, we try to bridge the gap between a representative reconstruction and accessibility for a broad audience.

The goal of living history and reenactment is to create the most accurate approach to a historical person and setting, but 100% accuracy is never possible. Even if your clothing, weapons, and accessories are 100% correct, you may not have the age, build, or body weight. Additionally, you have a different mindset because you were born in modern times. It is admirable to come as close as possible to historical reality, but we must also acknowledge that we will never fully understand it as modern humans and that there are limits to this.

The academic world attempts to study history as accurately as possible, but they also continuously deal with biases that arise from, for example, text analysis of historical sources. The limitation here is that we read all historical sources through the filter of our modern brains. Our view of history is largely an interpretation we make from our modern world. No one will ever fully objectively know what it was like to live in that time unless you were born and lived in that time. And even then, every person in that era had a different experience depending on region, social class, gender, mental and physical condition, etc.

Outside the academic world, living history and reenactment, there is a large group of people with a deep passion for history. They do not necessarily strive to approach history 100% historically correct; they mainly enrich their lives with (elements of) history and follow in the footsteps of old traditions and their ancestors. An example of this is the Viking culture at festivals like Castlefest. People have a certain historical interest in Vikings and want to incorporate (parts of) the Viking culture into their own lives. This too is a historical phenomenon. Throughout history, cultures have learned from other cultures and appropriated and applied elements in their own culture, or have reverted to their ancestors. It is a historical approach that is different from reenactment and living history, but not 'less' or 'wrong'.

It is therefore important to realize that from a shared passion and interest, there are multiple approaches to history, where not everyone's goal is to present a fully historically accurate Viking with linen clothing. We believe that all these approaches to history are important, and that everyone should be treated with respect. Even if someone else's approach and interpretations of history differ from yours. 

After all, no one knows the truth, so why is your truth that you project onto history better than someone who applies history to their life in a different way?

The goal of history in all approaches is that it enriches your life, it gives you a connection with the past. Whether your goal is to portray a historically accurate person with your factual knowledge of history, or you are seeking a catalyst through which you can connect with your ancestors. 

Give others the space to practice their passion and find their happiness in it. And realize as a reenactor that someone at Castlefest may not necessarily dress as a historically accurate person but that their association with history, their ancestors, and traditions can be just as realistic.

Of course, we are open to your perspective on history! Feel free to engage in dialogue with us. We are very interested in that. We understand the 'sport' of making reconstructions as historically accurate as possible and consider the interests of the parties involved. If you are a historical clothing atelier, you have different perspectives than we do, as our goal is to make history accessible to a broad audience. In our view, history is a very social subject because it belongs to everyone.