Urtatim al-Qurtubiyya bint abd al-Karim al-hakam al-Fassi

Persona

Formerly known as Anahita, Urtatim al-Qurtubiyya bint 'abd al-Karim al-hakam al-Fassi was born in al-Maghrib (now called Morocco) in the relatively new city of Fas (which Franji often spell Fez), known for its schools of higher learning, to an Amazight (aka Berber) father and a Persian mother, both from prosperous trading families.

She moved to al-Andalus to pursue her profession as one who hires calligraphers, illustrators, and bookbinders to copy books for patrons on commission. She is glad to be living in the enlightened and golden age of the glorious Caliph 'abd al-Rachman III (that's the early 10th century to Franji).

Since her contact with the Known Worlde, however, she often finds herself time traveling and living in Mamluk Egypt (1250 CE to past end of SCA period), 15th and 16th century Ottoman Empire, and Safavid Persia (1501 to past end of SCA period).

SCA

Urtatim is currently active in the Principality of the Mists and the Shire of Crosston.

• See West Kingdom History Who's Who Entry

Interests include: cooking, clothing, knitting, embroidery, medicine, history.

She has taught classes on Near and Middle Eastern clothing, including specific classes on shalvar (Persian & Ottoman trousers), a Mamluk period Egyptian tunic, and the Ottoman gomlek.

She has cooked many feasts featuring a wide range of cuisines, assisted in the kitchens of others, taught hands on cooking classes in the West and An Tir (and will at Pennsic 2012), contributed period food to pot luck dinners, and for several years with Mistress Anna Serre held dayboards at Mists/Cynagua Wars.

For more on clothing of the Near and Middle East, Mamluk Egyptian knitting, historical food, and other topics, visit Dar Anahita

Current Offices

• Deputy Chronicler for the Principality of the Mists.

• Deputy Wooden Spoon for the Kingdom of the West

Past Offices

• Province of the Mists Exchequer - circa 2001-2003;

• Shire of Crosston Web Minister (???);

• Principality of the Mists Arts Minister - Jan 2003 - Sept 2004 - 7 events, passed early so new Arts Minister could serve with a friend as Sciences Minister)
• Principality of the Mists Sciences Minister - June 2008 - March 2010;
• Principality of the Mists Minister of Arts and Sciences - March 2010 - April 2011;
• Principality of the Mists Web Minister - May 2005 - Oct 2008;
• Principality of the Mists Gold Key, reviving the office after there had been none for 5 years - April 2001 - March 2004;
• Principality of the Mists Silver Spoon (cooking competitions) 2004-2008 (approx.);

• West Kingdom Deputy Web Minister, under two Web Ministers, keeping old site current as new one was designed - Mar 2005 - Oct 2008;
• West Kingdom Gold Key - Nov 2003 - to 12th night 2007?;
• West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild Web Minister (created the web site and maintained it for many years) 2000-2005 (approx.)

Other Activities

• Head Cook for

-- two "Beaconsgate" Boar Hunt feasts, put on by the Province of the Mists (mixed period food & period German);

-- two Mists Principality Bardic feasts (period "Mediterranean Tour" & ancient Greco-Roman);

-- two Mists Principality Investiture feasts (period Arabic & period Ottoman)

-- a Purgatorio feast for around 150 people at a camping event at the behest of Duke Fabian (mostly period Middle Eastern)

-- a private feast for West Kingdom royalty (Jade & Kaaren) and their royal guests at Pennsic (period Middle Eastern);

-- a private feast for Cynaguan royalty (mixed period Andalusian and modern Moroccan);

-- a private feast for Mists royalty (period Middle Eastern);

• Provided a period Middle Eastern sweets table at a Mists Investiture at the request of Princess Kamillah;

• Autocrat and food organizer of a very successful Crosston Ball;

• Organizer of or contributor to the banqueting table for several Duchesses Balls at Twelfth Night;

• Contributor of period food to various potlucks, sideboards, and banquets;

• Taught 15th & 16th century Ottoman cuisine and 16th century Persian pulaws at two AnTir and first West Kingdom Culinary Symposia, using information i translated from works in modern French, German, and Turkish;

• Herald: As a voice herald worked as duty herald, field herald, and court herald, as well as attending Brachet meetings honing book heraldry skills. However, because of arthritis has reduced duty heralding.

• Member of the Golden Stag Players;

• Website Dar Anahita, with information on Andalusian, Persian, and Ottoman clothing and textiles, on Medieval Egyptian knitting, on SCA-period cooking, and more.

Awards and Honors

• AoA - 10 December 2000

• Order of the Rose Leaf - 10 December 2000
• Order of the Western Lily - 24 August 2002
• Order of the Leaf of Merit - 05 May 2007

• Corolla Aulica - 08 December 2001
• Corolla Vitae - 06 September 2003
• Princess's Favor - 22 November 2008 [Kamiilah]

• Queen's Treasure Chest - 26 August 2000 [Siobhan]
• Wooden Spoon - 26 March 2005
• Kingdom A&S - ?? (for Egyptian knitting)

West Kingdom Award List (scroll down)

A Few Favorite E-mail Lists

• Historic Knitting
• SCA-Cooks
• West Cooks
• Principality of the Mists