Search Results for: unicorn

Unicorn

Unicorn (Period)

The unicorn is a fierce heraldic monster, named for the single horn growing from the center of its forehead; it was the medieval archetype of purity and chastity, and its horn was considered an antidote to poison. As an heraldic charge, it’s found as early as c.1340, in the arms of Tengen [Zurich 72].

The unicorn is always shown with its forward-pointing horn, which is its defining characteristic; it’s also drawn with cloven hooves. The usual English depiction gives it a body much like a horse’s, but with a bearded chin, a lion’s tail, and tufts at its feet (and frequently higher on the legs). The Continental depiction is based more on a goat, frequently with a goat’s tail (though a lion’s tail is common), and often no tufts or beard. The exact variant is not distinguished in blazon: either form is acceptable in the Society. Both forms are rampant by default, as in the illustration.

Modern fantasy art often depicts the unicorn as a horned horse, with long sweeping mane and tail; this is not the medieval concept of the unicorn, and so-called “unicornate horses” are no longer permitted in Society armory.

The March of the Unicorn bears: Gyronny of sixteen azure and argent, a unicorn rampant and in chief a laurel wreath Or.

Charles Edward Alexander Everman bears: Ermine, a unicorn rampant sable, armed and crined gules.

Henry Clarence bears: Argent, three unicorns passant azure.

Duncan MacDougall of Mendersham bears: Or, a unicorn rampant gules.

More period designs for SCA heraldry

Oct16

It’s October 2019 as I write this. As I did this time last year, I’ve come up with some designs for coats of arms to be used in the SCA. My goal was to devise arms that were period in style — that would be perfectly at home in the medieval era — but that met the SCA’s stylistic rules, and as of this writing, were free of conflict.

I tried to make them accessible to submitters of every artistic level: some require only a straight-edge to draw, others require a modicum of skill. If you click on each thumbnail, you’ll get the blazon, as well as possible alternative colorations (some of these are available in more tinctures than I drew up).

They’re available to whoever would like to register them. I ask that you tell everyone where you found the design. And, though I have no way of enforcing this, I ask that you use the design given here. Changes to “make it more interesting” [sic] defeat the purpose of the endeavor, which is to have as period a design as we can get.

Sable, a unicorn erminois.
Gules, a thunderbolt argent.
Argent, three scythes gules.
Azure, a saltire flory Or.
Argent, a saggitary passant gules drawing a bow and arrow sable.
Gules, a cross patonce erminois.
Or, a pale checky gules and argent.
Sable, three drinking horns fretted in triangle Or.
Argent, three harps azure.
Argent, flaunches sable.
Azure, three bull’s heads cabossed argent.
Gules, two bendlets vair.
Argent, three brown bear’s heads erased proper.
Or, three annulets sable.
Gules, three annulets braced argent.

Whale

Whale (Period)

Narwhal haurient (Accepted)

The whale is a large sea-creature, known today as a cetacean mammal, but regarded in period as a fish; it was hunted from ships for its meat, oil and baleen. It is found in period heraldic tracts (e.g., de Bara’s Blason des Armoiries, 1581 [88]), but Your Author has not found an unarguable example from period armory.

The medieval depiction of the whale was somewhat fanciful; the illustration is taken from Gesner’s De Avibus et Piscibus, 1560. If a naturalistic depiction is desired, it must be specified as a “natural whale”, or more explicitly, e.g., a “sperm whale”. The whale is naiant by default.

In Society armory, there is also the “narwhal” or “narwhale”, a cetacean with a long unicorn-like “horn” (actually its tooth). It’s generally depicted as found in nature. The illustration shows a narwhal haurient. For related charges, see dolphin.

The Baron of Smoking Rocks bears: Argent, a whale haurient embowed sable within a laurel wreath vert.

André of Stormhold bears: Argent, a whale naiant azure.

Arinbjorn Talverri bears: Or, a narwhal haurient bendwise purpure.

Thyrsus

Thyrsus (Accepted)

A thyrsus is a staff entwined with leafy vines, and topped with a pine cone; in classical Greek art, it was the token of the god Dionysos. No examples of its use have been found in period armory. In Society armory, the thyrsus is palewise by default; its “proper” tincture is brown, with green vines. See also caduceus.

Kathern Thomas Gyelle Spence bears: Sable, a unicorn’s head erased and on a gore argent a thyrsus bendwise proper.

Daria Fuentes bears: Ermine, a thyrsus proper.

Malyna Perceval bears: Vert, a thyrsus Or between flaunches argent.

Spur

Spur with leathers (Period)

Prickspur (Accepted)

A spur is a pointed piece of metal worn on a rider’s heel to urge the horse forward. The default form of spur is the roweled spur, with a six-pointed mullet attached to a U-shaped frame and buckle. It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms (Italian sperone) of Speroni, c.1555 [BSB Cod.Icon 275:65], and as the crest of Matela, c.1540 [Nobreza xxixº].

In mundane armory, the spur is frequently drawn with leather straps; in Society armory, these are left to the artist’s license. While some sources give the spur’s default orientation as having the rowel to base, the majority [Franklyn 312; Guide 215] put the rowel to chief, and this is the Society’s default for the spur as well.

Society armory also has the “prickspur”, which has no rowel, but simply comes to a point. Its default orientation is the same as for the roweled spur, with the point to chief, and no difference is counted between the types. See also stirrup.

Harrys Rob of Wamphray bears: Vert, a chevron between three winged spurs argent.

Taliesynne Nycheymwrh yr Anghyfannedd bears: Quarterly sable and gules, on a unicorn rampant contourny argent gorged of a pearled coronet sable, a prickspur Or fimbriated sable.

Sea-monsters

Sea-griffin (Period)

Sea-dog rampant (Period)

This class of monster is characterized by having a demi-beast conjoined to a fish’s tail. Virtually any beast may be so treated: Society armory records examples of sea-stags, sea-bears, sea-otters, and sea-urchins among others. Even monsters may be made into sea-monsters, following the same pattern (fish-tailed demi-X) as other sea-monsters: e.g., the sea-unicorn in the arms of Niemptsch, and the sea-griffin in the arms of von Mestich, both 1605 [Siebmacher 58, 69]. The illustration shows a sea-griffin. Sea-monsters are usually erect by default; if winged, the wings will be addorsed.

When the unmodified term “sea-[beast]” is used, the heraldic monster is meant; if the term may also apply to a natural creature (e.g., the sea-tortoise, the sea-urchin, &c), the modified term “natural sea-[beast]” must be used for those cases. (The sea-mew and sea-nettle are exceptions to this: they’re always depicted as the natural creatures.)

There are some monsters whose names begin with the prefix “sea-“, and yet are not fish-tailed demi-beasts. The most notable of these is the “sea-dog” or “sea-hound”, a talbot with scales and a webbed dorsal fin. Period examples show it either with webbed feet, as in the crest of Flemyng, c.1510 [Walden 156], or with a talbot’s paws and tail, as in the arms of Harry or Harris, 1547 [Dennys 155]; this is left to the artist’s discretion. The illustration shows a sea-dog with webbed feet and tail.

Sea-wolf (Period)

Sea-loat rampant (Accepted)

In like manner, English heralds defined the “sea-wolf” analogously to the sea-dog, with fins and scales [Bedingfeld 66]. However, Swedish heralds recognized the “sea-wolf” as a fish-tailed demi-wolf, in the arms of Stalder, 1399 [Raneke 420], and Society heralds follow this definition as well.

Unique to Society heraldry is the “sea-loat”, with six legs.

For specific entries, see: mermaid, sea-horse, sea-lion. See also sea-serpent, silkie.

Elisa Montagna del Susino bears: Azure ermined Or, a sea-unicorn naiant reguardant argent.

Andrew MacGregor of Glen Lyon bears: Argent, a sea-wolf counter-ermine.

Morgan of Aberystwyth bears as a badge: Gules, a baby sea-loat rampant Or.

Humfrey Matthew Lovett bears: Per fess gules and azure, three sea-dogs rampant Or.

Duncan Stuart bears: Sable, a sea-goat erect argent.

Assar merch Owen bears: Per fess Or and sable, a sea-stag counterchanged.

Needle

Sewing needle threaded (Period)

Double-pointed knitting needle palewise (Accepted)

A needle is a slender sliver of metal or bone, sharpened at the end and used for manipulating thread. In Society armory, the default needle is the “sewing needle” (often so blazoned): a metal needle with a hole in one end for thread, used for hand sewing. It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms (from dial. Italian gugela) of de Agugellis, mid-15^th C. [Triv 41]. Sewing needles are sometimes found threaded; their points are to base by Society default.

There is also the “knitting needle”, which should be double-pointed; one of the earliest representations of knitting, the Buxtehude altarpiece c.1395 [Richard Rutt, A History of Hand Knitting, p.49], shows needles in this form. Although a period artifact, the knitting needle is unattested in medieval armory. It doesn’t seem to have a default orientation in Society blazonry; the illustration shows a double-pointed knitting needle palewise.

The Shire of Mendersham bears: Azure semy of needles argent, a laurel wreath Or.

Eibhlín an Fraoich bears: Per chevron azure and argent, a sewing needle azure.

Zeresh la Tricoteuse bears: Per bend azure and sable, a unicorn’s head couped argent, armed and crined, and two double-pointed knitting needles in saltire Or.

Monsters

As used in heraldry, the term “monster” describes any creature not found in nature: a fabulous beastie, a product of the imagination. Some heraldic monsters were thought to represent actual beasts (e.g., the antelope), but their forms differ so widely from the natural beasts that they are considered separate and imaginary creatures. In such cases, if the natural beast is intended, the term “natural” must be included in the blazon; otherwise, the heraldic monster is used.

There are some special categories of monsters, classed by their form or construction. These include: chimerical monsters, humanoid monsters, sea-monsters, and winged monsters.

For specific monsters, see: allocamelus, alphyn, amphisbaena, antelope, bagwyn, bog beast, boreyne, calamarie (kraken), calygreyhound, camelopard, centaur, chatloup, chimera, cockatrice, dragon, enfield, griffin, harpy, hippogriff, Hrassvelg monster, ibex, lamia, lion-dragon, man-serpent, manticore, man-tyger, mermaid, musimon, naga, Norse beasts, opinicus, orm, pantheon, panther, pegasus, phoenix, piping beast, pithon, salamander, sea-horse, sea-lion, senmurv, silkie, sphinx, tarasque, theow, tyger, unicorn, vegetable lamb, werewolf, yale, ypotryll.

Horse; Ass

Horse rampant (Period)

The horse is a large, strong equine beast used for riding, drawing loads, and other burdens. As the chivalry’s special beast, it was considered among the noblest of animals; it was also the medieval archetype of virility and passion. The horse is an ancient charge, found (bridled and saddled) in the arms of an early King of Norway, c.1275 [ANA2 57].

The default horse is the stallion, the adult male. Period armory includes examples of the young horse, blazoned a “colt” or “foal” (the latter in the arms of Falyngbrome, 1465 [DBA1 204]). Society armory includes the female horse, or “mare”. No difference is granted for these distinctions.

The horse is sometimes blazoned “forceny”, literally “enraged”: the term denotes a posture halfway between rampant and salient. Since the posture is too easily confused with rampant and salient, and since the term seems to have been first used in the 18^th Century, “forceny” currently is not used in Society blazons. (Some of the Society’s early blazons use the term.) There doesn’t seem to be a default posture for the horse; the illustration shows a horse rampant.

Horses may be shown bearing a rider, as in the arms of Lithuania, c.1413 [Conz.Const. cxlix]; saddled; bridled; or “caparisoned”, i.e., wearing barding and fully equipped. These circumstances must be blazoned.

Ass statant (Period)

Similar to the horse is the “ass” or “jackass”, found in the arms of Riethiem, 1605 [Siebmacher 30]. Society blazons have also used the modern term “donkey” for this beast. Like the horse, the ass doesn’t seem to have a default posture; the illustration shows an ass statant.

Society armory also has examples of the “mule”, a hybrid of the horse and ass, and the “onager” or Asian wild ass; these are heraldically indistinguishable from the ass, but no explicit examples have been found in period armory.

Instances are found in Society armory of the “Trojan horse”, a horse statant upon a wheeled platform; and of the “eight-legged horse”, a monster representing Odin’s horse Sleipnir. The latter is not encouraged for Society use, because of the visual confusion from its limbs.

For related charges, see centaur, pegasus, sea-horse, unicorn. See also hobbyhorse.

The Order of the Cheval d’Or, of Artemisia, bears: A horse courant contourny Or.

The College of Scola Metallorum bears: Azure, a donkey rampant contourny argent within a laurel wreath Or.

Anne Pomeroy of Woodswell bears: Countervair, a mare courant reguardant Or.

Elena Catalina Santangelo y Fernandez bears: Purpure, three horses rampant argent.

Fionnghuala Gliobach Mael Ailbe bears: Gules, a horse passant contourny with a maintained female rider Or.

Troy of Nodham Whyre bears: Purpure, a Trojan horse between three decrescents argent.

Halla Brandsdottir bears: Or, an eight-legged horse passant contourny within a bordure sable charged with dolphins naiant argent.

Horn, animal’s

An animal’s horn is a hard, pointed projection that grows from certain animals’ heads. The type of animal must be specified in the blazon. The most common forms in medieval armory are deer’s horns, ram’s and goat’s horns, and bull’s horns, each discussed below.

Deer’s attire (Period)

Deer’s massacre (Period)

Deer’s horns, or antlers, have special terms to describe them. A single deer’s antler is termed its “attire”, and is found in German heraldry as early as c.1275, in the arms of the Counts of Württemberg [ANA2 476]. Its default orientation is fesswise, with the stump to dexter, but there are numerous period examples of a deer’s attire in other orientations, or even bent in a circle. The deer’s full rack of antlers may be termed a “deer’s attires”, or a “massacre”; if joined to a scrap of flesh, these may also be called a “deer’s scalp”. The set of attires is shown as found on a deer guardant: spread symmetrically with points to chief. The exact number of points is not blazoned, but left to the artist.

Ram’s horn (Period)

Pair of ram’s horns (Period)

Ram’s horns are found in German armory as early as c.1340, in the arms of Frowenvelt or Frauenfeld [Zurich 136]. They could be depicted singly, or in pairs; when in pairs, they tended to be shown curving away from one another. A single ram’s horn could be oriented in one of several ways; the illustration is taken from the arms of von Widerspach, 1605 [Siebmacher 82]. Goat’s horns were drawn very similar to ram’s horns, but tended to have less curl, as in the arms of Kotwitz von Aulenbach [Siebmacher 107].

Pair of buffalo’s horns (Period)

Unicorn’s horn (Accepted)

Bull’s horns, or buffalo’s horns, are found in German crests as early as the 14^th Century [Gelre], and as charges in the arms of von Pfiltz, 1605 [Siebmacher 51]. They are drawn in a highly stylized manner; indeed, the German stylization sometimes caused the charge to be blazoned by French and English heralds as “elephant’s trunks”! Horns that are intended to be drawn more naturalistically would be better blazoned “cow horns”, the English practice. Society armory also has an example of a “bison’s massacre”, two short horns issuant from a scalp, as seen in the arms of von Sachsennhein, 1415 [Conz.Const. clxxx].

Of horns unique to the Society, the most common is the “unicorn’s horn” or “alicorn” (also sometimes blazoned a “narwhal’s horn” or “narwhal’s tooth”). No period examples have been found of it as a separate, independent charge. The unicorn’s horn is palewise, point to chief, by Society default.

Andreas Lucernensis bears: Per pale argent and sable, in pale three stag’s attires reversed gules.

Guinevere Whitehorn bears: Per bend azure and sable, a stag’s attires argent.

Hafr-Tóki bears: Sable, a stag’s antler in annulo conjoined to itself Or.

Ellen of Two Lines bears: Vert, a ram’s horn Or.

Angelica de Boullanger bears: Vert, a unicorn’s horn couped bendwise argent.

Otmar von Erhingen bears: Quarterly argent and sable, a pair of bull’s horns counterchanged.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings