Beard (Period)

Moustache (Accepted)

The beard is the facial hair of the human male, particularly that grown on the chin and jaws; it’s considered a facial ornament, at least by men.  It’s a period heraldic charge, found in the canting arms (Italian barba) of Barbani, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 272:87; cf. Woodward 203].

Similar to the beard is the “moustache”, which is the hair grown on a man’s upper lip only.  No example of the moustache, per se, is known in period armory.  However, based on the example of the beard, the moustache is considered acceptable in Society heraldry.

Tomaso da Barbiano bears as a badge:  A beard gules.

Pietro de Sant’Agata bears:  Argent, a beard sable and a tierce vert.

Robin of Gilwell bears:  Ermine, on a chief double-arched to base gules a moustache Or.