Hourglass (Period)

An hourglass is a wasp-waisted glass container, partially filled with sand; it was used for measuring time, by letting the sand trickle from the top half to the bottom.  The first known illustration of an hourglass is a fresco in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena, c.1339 [Eric Bruton, The History of Clocks and Watches, p.27]; it’s found in the arms of White, 1534 [Parker 335] and of von Kerstlingerode, 1605 [Siebmacher 179].  The hourglass is palewise by default.

The hourglass should not be drawn as transparent glass, through the use of chasing or voiding; it should be solidly tinctured.

Galleron de Cressy bears:  Azure, three hourglasses Or.

Gareth de Grey bears:  Sable, an hourglass argent.

Caoimhín o Fiodhabhra bears:  Per chevron azure and Or, three hourglasses counterchanged.