Search Results for: chevron

Chevron

Chevron (Period)

The chevron is an heraldic ordinary, an inverted V-shape issuant from the sides of the shield. Its placement on the shield may vary, depending on the surrounding charges and the style of emblazon. Period chevrons might be throughout, or not, without necessarily being so blazoned; it’s customary to blazon the “chevron throughout” in Society armory. The chevron may also be slightly shifted to chief, or to base, to accommodate other elements of the design; this fact would likewise not be blazoned.

Three chevronels braced (Period)

The diminutive of the chevron is the “chevronel”; Society blazonry does not recognize any other terms for the chevron’s diminutives. Chevronels or multiple chevrons are in pale by default. Another common arrangement is “chevronels braced”, with the limbs of the chevronels fretted together.

A “chevron between couple-closes” is another way of blazoning a chevron cotised. The “chevron inverted” (which modern heraldry texts blazon a “chevron reversed”) is found in the arms of von Chöntzin, 1605 [Siebmacher 38]; like the standard chevron, its limbs should be drawn issuant from the sides of the shield, not from the corners of the chief. A “chevron embattled” is embattled only on its upper edge, unless specifically blazoned “(embattled) counter-embattled” or “bretessed”.

Chevron inverted (Period)

Chevron couched from dexter (Period)

Of the more outré terminology: A “chevron couched” is issuant from the side of the shield, as in the arms of Düchtel, 1605 [Siebmacher 83]. It should be specified as “couched from dexter” or “from sinister”; the illustration shows a chevron couched from dexter. The blazon “two chevrons couched and (em)braced” implies a chevron from dexter and sinister, with their points interlaced.

Chevron ployé (Accepted)

Chevron enarched (Accepted)

A “chevron ployé” has its sides bowed to base, concave; this was originally an attempt to depict the convexity of the shield, and thus carries no heraldic difference from a plain chevron. Similarly, a “chevron enarched” is bowed to chief, convex; this is the Society definition of the term. (Legh’s Accedens of Armory, 1576, gives a different depiction of a chevron enarched; we would blazon it “a chevron enarched within and conjoined at the point with a [plain] chevron”.)

Chevron rompu (Period)

$Chevron fracted (Period)$

Chevron fracted (Period)

The most confusion has come from what may be called the “broken chevrons”: those which are in some way fracted or offset. No two references seem to define them quite the same way, and even the Society’s definitions have changed over time. The following are the definitions currently in use: A “chevron rompu” or “debruised” has its point offset to chief; it’s found in the arms of Salt or Sault, c.1520 [DBA2 393; cf. also Guillim2 133]. A “chevron fracted” has its point offset to base; it’s found in the arms of Fyndarne, c.1460 [RH]. A “chevron disjoint” has its point removed altogether, rather like two batons conjoined in chevron; it has been disallowed, pending period evidence of its use.

Chevron disjoint (Disallowed)

The Prince of Nordmark bears: Per pale sable and azure, a chevron argent and overall a laurel wreath Or.

Muirgheal inghean Labhrian bears: Ermine, a chevron azure.

Vasilii Volchogo Zuba syn bears: Per pale vert and sable, three chevronels ermine.

Cecily de Farington bears: Argent, three chevronels braced sable.

Gerhart von Altenberg bears: Lozengy sable and argent, a chevron inverted gules.

Aelesia Emelyne Couchur bears: Azure, a chevron embattled argent.

David the Pensive bears: Argent, a chevron disjoint vert and in chief a sun in glory gules.

Justinian Karl Friedrich von Reichschöffen bears: Argent, a chevronel inverted fracted and a chevronel fracted sable.

Robert Buran bears: Per pale azure and erminois, a chevron rompu counterchanged.

Jean Paul Monraith bears: Argent, a chevron couched from dexter braced with a chevron couched from sinister azure.

Wool-pack

Woolpack (Period)

A wool-pack, as its name implies, is a sack in which wool is packed and bundled; the packs were of standardized sizes, for ease of pricing. It was used as a charge by the Worshipful Company of Woolmen as early as 1575 [Bromley & Child 267]. It may also be called a “bale” or a “wool-sack”; it is fesswise by default. For related charges, see bag of madder, cushion.

Catherine Loxley of Tirnewydd bears: Per chevron sable and barry wavy argent and gules, in chief two wool-packs argent.

Kára sindri bears: Per fess vert and lozengy vert and Or, a fess and in chief a woolsack argent.

Joanna the Spinner bears as a badge: A wool-pack gules.

Wind

Wind, or aeolus (Period)

Winds are masses of air in natural motion. Invisible in nature, they’re depicted in art as a human heads issuant from cloud, usually shown visibly blowing air from their mouths. Frequently depicted in period art (e.g., on maps), we know of a single example in period armory, in the canting arms of de Zeffiro, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 268:233].

In Society blazon, the generic wind may also be called an “aeolus”. Other types of wind include the “boreas”, an icy-bearded old man; the “zephyr”, an androgynous youth; and the female “mistral”. Winds face dexter by default, and should be shown in profile (though some are affronty); they should never be in trian aspect. For related charges, see head (human).

The Canton of Elvegast bears: Per chevron azure and vert, in chief two aeoli with breaths conjoined at fess point argent, in base a laurel wreath Or.

Mistral de L’Isle sur Tarn bears: Per fess wavy vert and azure, issuant from chief a mistral and from base four piles wavy inverted conjoined at the fess point argent.

Cassandra de la Mistral bears: Azure, a boreas affronty argent.

Æsa Þorarinsdottir bears: Azure, a zephyr argent and a bordure rayonny Or.

Wheel

Wheel (Period)

Dexter half of a wheel (Period)

A wheel is a circular spoked frame, attached to an axle by its hub and permitted to spin freely. Sets of wheels are normally found attached to wagons, but wheels are often found as charges in their own right. The default wheel is more fully blazoned a “wagon-wheel” or “cartwheel”; it’s found as early as c.1340, in the arms of Berg [Zurich 232]. The number of spokes is usually left to the license of the artist – six or eight spokes seem to be the norm – but sometimes the number is explicitly blazoned. The wheel’s “proper” coloration is brown, the color of wood.

Particularly in German heraldry, we find examples of partial wheels: a quarter-wheel, as in the arms of von Billick, 1605 [Siebmacher 71], or a half-wheel, as in the arms of Rusetzker [Siebmacher 73]. The orientation of the partial wheel (e.g., “dexter half of a wheel”, as in the illustration) must be specified in blazon.

Catherine’s wheel (Period)

Cog-wheel (Period)

Variants of the wheel include the “Catherine’s wheel”, the symbol of the martyr St. Catherine, with curved knife-blades radiating from the rim. As an heraldic charge, it’s found in the arms of Brentingham, Bishop of Exeter 1370-94 [DBA3 443]. There is the “cog-wheel”, also called a “gear-wheel” or “mill-wheel”, with an embattled outer edge, used in mechanisms from tiny clockworks to giant mill-works; it’s found in the canting arms (German Mühle, “mill”) of Mülinen c.1460 [GATD 20v].

Water-wheel (Accepted)

Finally, there is the “water-wheel”, unique to Society armory, with vanes on the outer edge to draw power from running water. See also grindstone, spinning wheel.

Cyprian of the Wheel bears: Argent, a wooden cartwheel of twelve spokes proper.

Caterine Barré de Venoix bears: Barry azure and Or, a Catherine wheel gules.

Iathus of Scara bears: Ermine, a cog wheel gules.

Patrick MacFynn bears: Per chevron vert and azure, a chevron argent between two natural dolphins embowed respectant Or and a water wheel argent.

Catherine de la Loire bears: Purpure, a Catherine’s wheel missing the dexter chief quarter between three fleurs-de-lys argent.

Trumpet

Trumpet (Period)

Spiral trumpet, or spiral hunting horn (Accepted)

A trumpet is a brass musical instrument with a flared end and a blaring tone. Its default form is more fully blazoned a “straight trumpet”; it was used as an heraldic charge as early as 1285, in the canting arms of Trumpington [ANA2 475]. Two straight trumpets in saltire are the symbol of the SCA College of Arms, and reserved to the College and the seals of its Sovereigns of Arms and the Principal Heralds.

Bucina, or Roman tuba (Accepted)

Baroque folded trumpet (Accepted)

Society armory also has examples of the “spiral trumpet”, also called a “spiral hunting horn“, the precursor of the modern French horn; the “baroque folded trumpet”, like a sackbut but with no moving parts (its length made a full range of notes possible); and the “Roman tuba” or “bucina”. All these trumpets have their bells to chief by default. See also cornetto, organ pipe.

The College of Arms bears: Vert, two straight trumpets in saltire, bells in chief Or.

Halla in heppna Knorsdottír bears: Purpure, in fess three straight trumpets Or.

Daven Echern bears: Azure, on a plate a horse salient to sinister sable, in base a spiral trumpet Or, all within a bordure embattled argent.

Corwyn Iain MacAern bears: Per chevron sable and argent, a griffin passant and a Roman tuba reversed counterchanged.

Lijss van den Kerckhove bears as a badge: Or, a baroque folded trumpet fesswise reversed purpure and in chief two rosemary sprigs fesswise conjoined at the stem vert.

Trivet

Trivet (Period)

Triangular trivet (Period)

A trivet is a three-legged stand for holding cooking pots, &c. Trivets are often ornamental, and may be round or triangular; the round form is older in period armory, found in the canting arms of Tryvette as early as 1295 [ANA2 552]. The triangular form is specified in Society blazon.

The trivet is normally drawn in an early attempt at perspective, showing the top to the viewer, with all three legs visible.

Tripod (Period)

Society armory also has the “tripod”, similar to the trivet, but larger and tetrahedral in outline; it encloses its load, instead of resting underneath it. The tripod is never used alone, but only in conjunction with another charge (typically a cooking pot), which it supports. The arms of Larrea, mid-16^th C., show a cauldron so suspended [Armeria 358].

Alastar Scott MacCrummin bears: Or, three triangular trivets azure.

Gwenhwyvar ferch Owen ap Morgan bears: Per chevron argent and azure, a triangular trivet argent.

Brekke Franksdottir bears: Sable, a cooking pot hanging from a tripod above a flame in base argent.

Triskelion; Triskele

Triskelion of armored legs (Period)

Triskelion arrondi, or triskele (SFPP)

A triskelion is a design first used in classical Greek art, with three embowed limbs conjoined in pall. The name derives from the Greek tri, skelos, “three legs”; the classical form does indeed use three bent legs, conjoined at the thighs. However, mundane armory doesn’t tend to use this term in blazon; most instances of triskelions are blazoned as “three arms” or “three legs” conjoined, and listed as such in mundane ordinaries. (The illustration shows the legs in armor, as in the arms of the Kings of the Isle of Man, c.1275 [ANA2 478].)

In Society heraldry, the most common form of triskelion is the “triskelion arrondi” or “triskele”: three pointed limbs, smoothly curved, and embowed. (The embowment is part of the definition of a triskelion; without it, the design would simply be three charges conjoined in pall.). With no examples from period armory, the triskelion arrondi is deemed a step from period practice.

Triskelion pommetty (Accepted); triskelion gammadion in annulo (Disallowed)

Some of the Society’s triskelions are based on certain crosses. Thus we have the “triskelion pommetty” and the “triskelion gammadion in annulo”. (The latter form, having been adopted by certain white supremacist groups, is no longer registerable.) Presumably, one could have a “triskelion fleury” as well, or some other triskelion based on a variant of cross.

Triskelions may also be made up of other charges, so long as they are bent or embowed. Thus there might be a “triskelion of dragon’s heads”, a “triskelion of three scarves”, or a “triskelion of chevrons”. One example of this type, the “triskelion of spirals”, has been deemed a step from period practice, but still permitted.

Similar to the triskelion is the “pentaskelion” which, as its name implies, has five limbs instead of three.

Triskelions may turn either clockwise or counter-clockwise; the fact is not blazoned. The most famous mundane triskelion, in the arms of the Isle of Man, has been depicted in period art going either direction; and the same is true of triskeles in Society heraldry. It is left to the artist’s license, and no difference is counted for it. For related charges, see arm, cross, leg, pall.

The King of Trimaris bears: Argent, on a fess wavy between two triskeles azure a crown of five points, each point tipped with a mullet argent, between overall a laurel wreath counterchanged.

Finngall McKetterick bears: Or, a triskelion of armored human legs vert.

Douglas Longshanks bears: Sable, a pentaskelion of armored legs argent.

Terryl of Talavera bears: Argent, a triskelion arrondi azure, between in pale two torteaux.

Sorcha ar Menez bears: Vert, a triskelion of spirals argent between in cross four mullets pierced Or.

Colm the Defrocked bears: Vert, a triskelion of demi-birds argent.

Goraidh Ailean na Gordanaich bears: Purpure, a triskelion pommetty pallwise Or.

Trident

Trident (Period)

Ukrainian trident head (Accepted)

A trident is a three-pronged spear, used by fishermen and Roman gladiators; in classical art, it was borne as a scepter by the sea-god Neptune. Its head resembles that of a barbed fork. The trident is a period charge, found in the arms of von Streithorst, 1605 [Siebmacher 182]. It is palewise, tines to chief, by default.

The “trident head” alone, without the haft, is also found as a charge, in the arms of von Krottendorff or Krotendorf, c.1450 [Ingeram 18; also BSB 390:854, c.1560]. It’s similar to a depiction of the “eel-spear” [Guillim1 220] or “salmon spear” [Parker 220]; but unlike those charges, the trident head, like the trident, has its tines to chief by default.

A variant form, the “Ukrainian trident (head)”, is found in the modern arms of Ukraine; tradition has made it a totem of the Rurik dynasty. For related charges, see eel-fork, pole-arm. See also weapons.

The Baron of Marinus bears: Argent chaussé ployé per pale vert and azure, a trident sable its head environed of a laurel wreath vert.

Lennán mac Neill bears: Vert, three tridents argent.

Wilhelm von Frankfurt bears: Per bend sinister azure and purpure, a trident’s head inverted Or.

Bogdan Kobzar bears: Per chevron azure and argent, two Ukrainian trident heads Or and a kobza sable.

Tree

A tree is a large plant, with a main wooden trunk branching into foliage at the top. Its “proper” coloration is with green leaves and brown trunk. A tree “fructed” is bearing fruit, whose color may be specified; the fructing may also be considered artistic license, and added to a tree whether blazoned so or not.

Oak tree (Period)

Pine tree couped (Period)

In heraldic art, the tree’s leaves and fruit may be drawn much larger than in naturalistic art. Early examples, such as the canting arms (German Eich, “oak”) of von Eyck, c.1360 [Gelre 32v] show a very simplified and stylized form of tree. Later depictions, such as the oak tree in the allusive arms (Italian bosco, “wood”) of dal Bosco, mid-15^th C. [Triv 78], are closer to natural art but still exaggerate the size of the leaves and fruit [see also de Bara 75-77]. (Swedish heraldic art in particular is noted for this.) Finally, by the end of period, trees were drawn very naturalistically, as with the oak tree in the arms of Eychhauser, 1605 [Siebmacher 63], to the point that the type of tree becomes difficult to tell. The exaggerated style is therefore encouraged in the Society; a tree whose type cannot be determined is likely to be blazoned simply as a “tree”.

Orange tree fructed and eradicated (Period)

Palm tree couped (Period)

Many types of tree are found in heraldry. The oldest and most common type is the oak tree, found in the canting arms of Okestead, 1275 [ANA2 551]. (Indeed, if no specific type of tree is blazoned, the oak may always be used.) Many other types of tree are also found in period: the pear tree in the canting arms of Piriton, c.1285 [ANA2 551], the walnut tree in the canting arms (Latin nux) of de Noxigiis, mid-15^th C. [Triv 247], the olive tree in the canting arms of Oliveira, c.1540 [Nobreza xxxv], the beech tree in the canting arms (German Buche) of Bucher, 1605 [Siebmacher 64], the rowan tree in the canting arms (Italian sorbo) of Sorballi, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 273:239]. (It should be obvious by now that cant was the primary reason in period for choosing a type of tree.) Society armory has instances of the pine, the linden, the ash, the yew, and the palm, among many others.

Willow tree (Period)

Poplar tree (Period)

For conflict purposes, the Society defines two broad categories for trees: coniferous trees, which are typically drawn with triangular foliage, and so-called “generic” trees, which are typically drawn with rounded or shapeless foliage. Pine trees and fir trees are examples of coniferous trees; oak trees and orange trees are examples of generic trees. Difference is granted between categories of tree; no difference is granted for type of tree within the same category.

Of special note are the willow and poplar trees. The willow tree is found in period armory in the canting arms (Latin salix) of von Salis, 1605 [Siebmacher 204]. The form used in period armory is the white willow; if the “weeping willow tree” is intended, it must be specified in blazon. No difference is granted between these variants.

The poplar tree had been ruled a step from period practice, based on the lack of period examples – particularly as it’s usually depicted, as the elongated “Lombardy poplar” [Fox-Davies, The Art of Heraldry, p.65]. However, the poplar tree in this form has since been documented, in the arms of Cardinal Dominic de Capranica, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 267:179]. The Lombardy poplar, as it’s modernly known, is the default heraldic poplar tree for Society use.

Tree blasted and eradicated (Period)

Tree stump eradicated (Period)

Both the top and the base of a tree are subject to variation. At the base, the Society default is with a small upper portion of the roots showing, as might be seen in nature. The roots may also be “eradicated”, with the entire root system showing, as if forcibly uprooted from the ground; or “couped”, with the trunk cut cleanly, and no roots shown at all. The illustrations show an oak tree (with default roots), a pine tree couped, and an orange tree eradicated (and fructed as well).

At the top, the default is with leaves or foliage; but it also may be “blasted” or leafless, showing only the bare branches. This variant is found in de Bara, 1581 [77], who terms it un arbre sec (“a dry tree”). The illustration shows a tree blasted and eradicated.

A “stump” or “stock” is the bottom part of the tree, left after the tree has been felled; it was the canting badge of Zouche, c.1510 [HB 162]. The stump’s top edge is usually couped, but is sometimes found “snagged”, with the rough top surface tilted to the viewer. In Society blazonry, a “trunk” is a somewhat longer form of stump, while a “log” is simply a cleanly lopped form of a ragged staff. The illustration shows a stump eradicated.

Hurst of trees couped (Period)

A group of trees with their foliage conjoined may be called a “hurst”. When thus conjoined, the number of trees, even when blazoned, counts for no difference. Hursts are often issuant from a mount in mundane heraldry, but this fact is always specifically blazoned in Society heraldry. The illustration shows a hurst of trees couped.

For related charges, see: bush, créquier, slip, staff (ragged). See also fruit, leaf.

The King of Drachenwald bears: Or, in fess three pine trees eradicated gules, overall a dragon passant coward, all within a laurel wreath, in chief an ancient crown sable.

The Baron of Gyldenholt bears: Azure, on a hurst Or a laurel wreath vert, a bordure Or.

The Order of the Willow, of the Middle, bears: Purpure, a weeping willow tree eradicated Or.

Ioseph of Locksley, the Rhymer, bears: Vert, a tree eradicated argent.

Melodia of Okhurste bears: Per bend Or and argent, a tree blasted and eradicated azure.

Christian of Orange bears: Argent, an orange tree fructed proper issuant from a mount vert.

Catalina Estevez de Teixeira bears: Quarterly Or and gules, a yew tree eradicated proper.

Mustafa al-Jabal Tariqi bears: Argent, a palm tree couped gules within a bordure sable.

Allendale of the Evergreens bears: Argent, a pine tree proper.

Tala al-Zahra bears: Argent, an olive tree fructed and eradicated and a bordure gules.

Toly Woodsman bears: Per chevron argent and azure, three tree stumps counterchanged.

Tongs

Smith’s tongs (Period)

Tongs are a tool for handling hot objects, having two long arms pivoted or hinged together. They are sometimes explicitly blazoned as “smith’s tongs”; in mundane heraldry, they are also called “pincers”. One Society example blazons them as “a pair of pliers”, but the charge is drawn the same.

Tongs are found in the canting arms (German Zange, “tongs”) of Tsenger or Zenger, c.1360 [Gelre 34]. They have their handles to base by default.

Gene the Black bears: Bendy of eight Or and sable, a pair of tongs gules.

Gerbert Faber de Rouen bears: Argent, in saltire a smith’s hammer and a pair of tongs, in base a square anvil sable.

John Trevor of Chinon bears: Per chevron vert and argent, two pincers argent and a sea lion sable.

Janusch Vladescu bears: Per bend sinister argent and gules, a pair of pliers bendwise sinister sable and an annulet argent.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings