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The Points of Heraldry

The Points of Heraldry

The Basics of Heraldic Design and Terminology


by
Walt Cross


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"Everyman of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of his father's house...And the children of Israel...pitched by their standards and so they set forward, everyone after their families, according to the house of their father."


-Numbers 2, verses 2 and 34.


Arms of the 1st Bn, 7th Field Artillery, U.S. Army

Heraldry: the art of devising, blazoning, and granting armorial insignia and the tracing and recording of genealogies. The following quote by Oswald Barron, an English herald, pretty much sums up the way I feel about the "assumption" of coats-of-arms. The arms which a man devises and assumes for himself, are in every respect as valid as those granted by the Kings-of-arms. This page is intended to assist those individuals, man or woman, who would like to devise and assume their own distinctive coat-of-arms, shield, or crest. I have tried to present this information in as simple a format as possible. I hope in the future to be able to present more illustrations of the items described.
  • Shields and Lozenges
  • Tinctures (heraldic colors)
  • Points of the Shield
  • Divisions of the Shield
  • Charges (insignia) on the Shield
  • The Crest
  • The Blazon of Arms
  • Attributed Arms
  • About the author

    Shields and Lozenges



    The above handsome shield was painted by Lynne Williams, a founding partner of Irish Arms, a company that makes and sells arms and armor. You will find a link at the bottom of this page to the Irish Arms webpage.

    The shield proper is the warrior's piece of equipment that designates who he is. For that reason, the armorial insignia which depicts a warrior's ancestry as well as his individual identification is displayed here. All other acouterments such as the crest, mantling, and supporters serve merely to enhance and draw attention to the armorial insigina. The shield may be of any form, with the exception of the diamond shape, termed the lozenge, which is the only form women may use, and is therefore reserved for them. This lozenge often with her husband's insignia, is displayed as a badge on clothing or appropriate possessions and reflects her husband or father's honor. Women descended from noble houses on their own account may have their insignia displayed alongside her husbands in a "quartering" of the lozenge, where the two families insignia or "arms" are displayed in alternating quarter panels of the shield.

    Tinctures, the Heraldic Colors


    The shield itself and all divisons of it and charges upon it are represented as being metal, fur, or painted colors. Since colored inks were not always available in the days that heraldry was being developed, the colors as respresented in black ink on white paper are depicted in certain images. For example, gold, termed or in heraldry, is represented in black ink by dots. Silver, termed argent, is any area left blank. Here are the different tinctures and their heraldic name and ink depictions.

    Gold/or/dots
    Silver/argent/blank
    Blue/azure/horizontal lines
    Red/gules/perpendicular lines
    Black/sable/cross hatch lines
    Green/vert/diagonal lines (right)
    Purple/purpure/diagonal lines (left)

    The two furs are ermine, and vair. Ermine consists of a white field with black spots. Variations are ermines, being white spots on a black field, erminites which are the same as ermines but with the additon of a red hair on each side of the black (remember this is a "fur"). Erminois is a golden field with black spots, and pean is a black field with golden spots. Each spot resembles an animal's tail with three spots above and to each side of its point. Vair is a parti-colored fur of blue and silver (unless other tinctures are specified), in which the pieces are cut in the form of a shield and placed in rows alternating the position in each. Its variation is counter-vair which consists of shields placed directly beneath one another. Also the counter-vair is a metal and a color rather than a fur.

    The Crest



    The crest is a common adjunct of the shield, and consists of any object or objects placed above it, and used as a hereditary distinction to, for example, tell two branches of the same family apart. Crests are also found in modern usage, the closest to the original intent of heraldic devices, a mark of the warrior, being those "distinctive unit insignia" or unit crests, found in many armies including the U.S. Army. In fact, the U.S. Army has its own heraldry department in which crests are designed and assigned to new and reorganized army units. Some of these "unit crests" can be quite beautiful and most often follow the rules of ancient heraldry. When shown above the shield, the crest normally arises out of a wreath made of twisted ribands of the two principal tinctures of the shield. Other times it may surmount a "cap of dignity" in place of the wreath. Crests are not always found with a shield, they are not a required addition. In Europe, no lady has the right to a crest except sovereign princesses. In America, however, if a woman were to assume a crest I doubt anyone would raise an objection. Crests are often depicted in seals or sealing rings stamped in wax to seal documents such as envelopes. It is less expensive to have one's crest engraved in the ring as opposed to the entire shield of arms.



    This is the arms of the House of Frankenstein. The charge on the shield is a shoemaker's tool.

    Charges


    Charges are the objects placed upon the shield. These objects are the signs and emblems of the family to which it pertains. Added to the family's original charges would be honors bestowed by the soverign, marks of difference to identify each family branch, quarterings from added from other families allied in marriage and so on. The beginning of any blazon (the decorating of a shield) always begins with the field. One word describing the color is the simplest form of field. For instance if a shield were to be blue, the decription would begin "azure..." if the field were divided it would be so decribed, ie "azure, a chevron gules..." (divided by a red chevron). The next item to be addressed would be the principal charge. In the fictional shield we are building, the chevron is the principal charge as well as a division of the shield. Let us add a second charge to our shield, three crosses. These crosses are a particular shape called the Maltese Cross. Our fictitious shield now becomes "azure, a chevron, gules between three crosses Maltese, or. We now have a blue shield with a red chevron with two Maltese Crosses in the chief (top) and one in the base (under the chevron). We now have the basis for a marshaling of arms. Add the crest, mantling, and supporters and throw in a motto, and you have a workable coat-of-arms. There are literally thousands of possible combinations for coats-of-arms. The simplest type of charges are known as ordinaries. The ordinaries are tinctures added to the shield that take up less than half the field. They are:
    1. The chief, occupying the upper third of the shield.
    2. The fesse, occupying the centre third of the shield horizontally.
    3. The pale, occuping the centre third vertically.
    4. The bend, occupying one third of the shield diagonally, right to left.
    5. The bend sinister, occupying one third of the shield diagonally, left to right.
    6. The cross, which is actually the fesse and pale joined and usually occupying one fifth of the field.
    7. The saltire composed of the bend and the bend sinister forming an "X".
    8. The chevron which resembles the lower half of the saltire, with the upper lines brought to a point.
    It should be remembered that if any of these ordinaries grow large enough to occupy one half of the field, then it ceases to be a charge and becomes a tincture of the shield.
    Marks of Cadency (difference). The marks of cadency are charges added to the shield to denote the hereditary status of the individual or family bearing a coat-of-arms. The figures most often found as marks are:
    1. The crescent (a crescent moon).
    2. The mullet (star).
    3. The fleur-de-lys (French for flower or lily of the field).
    4. The martlet (a dove like bird).
    5. The annulet (a ring).
    These marks of cadency are usually located in the chief or the fesse point (middle of the shield) if the shield is quartered. As to which mark delineates which son, that is pretty much up to the bearer of the arms, although there is a ponderous system sometimes mentioned in heraldic texts but no often used.

    The shield depicted above designed by Father Robert Redmile of the Christian Episcopal Church of Canada, British Columbia.

    The Points of the Shield


    The shield, for convenience in description, is considered as having the following points. Across the top of the shield are points 1, 2, and 3, beginning with the number 1 on the left side, 2 in the middle, and 3 on the right side. These three points are referred to as the "chief" points, as they are in the upper part of the shield known as the chief. Beginning under the 2 is a row of horizontal numbers: 4, 5, and 6. These make up the points in the centre portion of the shield. The other three points are 7 on the left base side, eight on the shield's "point" and 9 on the right hand side. When viewing these points it should be remembered that the shield is considered in its position to the bearer of the shield, as though someone were carrying it. And so, the dexter or right hand side is to the left of the viewer, and the sinister or left hand side is on the viewer's right. Each number has its own name. 1 is called the dexter (right) chief point. 2 is the middle chief point. 3 is the sinister (left) chief point. 4 is called the honor, or collar point. 5 is the fesse point (center of shield). 6 is the nombril or navel point. 7 is the dexter (right) base point, 8 the middle, and nine the sinister (left).

    87th Cavalry

    Divisions of the Shield


    The shield may be divided in various ways, and painted of two tinctures (colors). A rule of thumb is that the shield is considered divided when the two tinctures occupy equal portions of the field. Whenever one tincture predominates, it is considered the tincture of the shield and the secondary color becomes a "charge" or insignia upon the shield. The simple forms of divisions are as follows:
    1. Per pale made by a vertical line down the center of the shield and dividing it equally in half. If both sides were then different colors, the shield would be considered "divided".
    2. Per fess made by a horizontal line across the center of the shield.
    3. Per bend made by a diagonal line (right to left as the bearer holds the shield).
    4. Per bend sinister made by a diagonal line (left to right as the beareer holds the shield).
    5. Quarterly, made by the first two lines (Per pale and Per fess) intersecting and dividing the shield into "quarters".
    6. Per saltire made by the last two lines (Per bend and Per bend sinister) intersecting.
    7. Per chevron made by the addition of a chevron (similar to a sergeant's stripe) with the point of the chevron up toward the chief part of the shield.
    More complicated divisions are made up of these same forms duplicated. An example is Paly, a duplication or reduplication of Per pale. Another is Bendy, a duplication of Per bend. The duplication of Quarterly is Checky and so on. The lines that delineate these divisions can come in several forms, not just a straight lines. Some of the more common and easy to visualize are: wavy (as in a drawing of water), indented (like a series of peaks and valleys), and embattled (a series of squares like a castle wall) and others.

    The Blazon of Arms


    Blazon means the written description of a coat-of-arms, so precise, as to allow the reader to imagine the arms without any other assistance. The rule adopted in these descriptions of arms are as follows:
    1. The field is described first, whether of one or two tinctures. If two tincures are involved, the type of division is mentioned such as Per pale, Per fesse etc. and also if the division line is wavy, embattled, etc.
    2. If the field is covered by small charges (this is called semee) it is mentioned next.
    3. The principal ordinary (except the chief) is mentioned next. If there are none, the principal charge, that being the one nearest the fesse point or centre of the shield is fully described with all peculiarities of form, tincture and position.
    4. The remaining charges placed on the field are next described with the centre charge being described as "between" or "surrounded by" or "within" them.
    5. The charges on the principal charge are given.
    6. The bordure with the charges thereon is given.
    7. The canton or chief with all charges thereon is described next.
    8. Last, the differences or marks of cadency are enumerated.
    The crest, supporters, and motto are to be separately blazoned after the shield. As long as you can describe all the portions of the coat, giving the particulars so that another person may depict it perfectly, you have acquired the essential part of the language. Now lets try describing the shield shown above using these rules. Gules, a Cross Moline Argent, in Chief a Grasshopper proper. For the crest: A Saxon Sword (Seax) proper. These are the arms of the Thatcher family.

    Here is a couple of similar shields, I will blazon the second, more complicated shield, and you try the first one. "Checky, Or and Gules, a Chief Ermine" Now you try the first one. Did you come up with: "Checky, Or and Azure"? Good, you're getting there, now try another.

    Here are two more shields similar to the ones above, lets do it again. I'll blazon the first and you the second. "Checky, Or and Azure within a bordure of the first (first named color, in this case, or), a canton ermine". Now you try the next one. Did you get: "Checky, Or and Azure within a Bordure Gules, a canton ermine"

    ad Crucem
    My Own Arms

    My personal arms are based on my and my ancestor's military service. If you want to know the why and wherefore of the following blazon, you'll have to search my other pages for clues (hint: the ones on Vietnam and the Battle of the Bulge in WWII). Per pale Vert and Argent, a Chevron Or, in Chief a Cross of Lorraine counter-changed between two Pheons Gules, in base a Boar counter-changed. The motto "ad Crucem" Is the most ancient spelling of my surname. The crest is A Stork Azure resting Dexter upon a Cross Patonce, Or (not shown).



    Attributed Arms

    Early in the development of heraldry arms were designed and attributed to both historical and mythological or even heavenly beings. Among them were folks such as Alexander the Great, Jesus Christ, and even Satan. Satan's arms were formed from some obscure passage in The Book of Revelations and are: Gules (red, of course), a fess or (gold band across the middle of the shield) between three frogs proper (as if you were looking down on the frogs as they sit, legs asplay). It doesn't say, but I surmise the frogs are green. Attributing arms this way must have been kind of fun for heralds as they passed the long winters away. After all, the person the arms were attributed to couldn't complain. And therein lies the key to heraldry, don't take it too seriously, and have fun with it!

    an excellent historical webpage.
    A link to my Unit Crest (Military Heraldry) page.
    A link to my Ivanhoe novel
    A link to Cross Publications
    A link to Heraldry on the Internet An excellent heraldry site.
    Castles on the Web

    Walt Cross spent three years in Europe with the U.S. military and there developed a keen interest in heraldry. He possesses a large collection of unit crests of several nation's military. He holds a degree in history, and enjoys writing.

    This Page Was Last Updated on Saturday, 7 April 2001.

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