Die

Die (Period)

A die is a small cube used in games of chance, usually made of wood, bone, or ivory, with a different number of spots (1 through 6) on each side. Dice existed in period, both as artifacts and as heraldic charges; they were one of the few medieval charges that were shown in trian aspect, though Continental emblazons often show them face-on. When emblazoned, the numbers shown on the die are usually left to the artist – though in one case, the arms of Ambesas (c.1275), for canting’s sake the dice are traditionally depicted showing a point of ‘1’ (aces) [ANA2 351].

For related charges, see delf, tablet (weaver’s).

Dathi Thorfinnsson bears: Pean, two dice in pale argent spotted sable.

Aethelwyn Castrel of Arran bears: Sable, three dice Or spotted sable.

Kaleeb al-Akhdar bears: Argent, a die gules marked argent.

Demi-beast

Demi-lion (Period)

Any beast can be cut in half to become a demi-beast, and used as a charge. The treatment is found in period armory: demi-lions are found in the arms of Hamme, c.1312 [ANA2 243]. While demi-beasts may, of course, be issuant – e.g., from base, from a fess, or from a line of division – they are frequently found as discrete charges.

A demi-beast is erect by default, even when this is not the default posture of the full beast. The severed part is couped by default; if the demi-beast is erased, the fact must be blazoned. The couping is roughly fesswise, and frequently includes a snippet of the tail as well. The illustration shows a demi-lion.

Katherine Brianna Coldrake Kyven bears: Argent, three demi-horses rampant to sinister purpure.

Rhianwen ni Dhiarmada bears: Sable, a demi-unicorn rampant Or crined and horned argent.

Brian mac Tomáis Uí Fhoghladha bears: Argent, a demi-goat erased gules.

Ivan Geirsson bears: Sable, three demi-lions Or.

Delf

Delf (Period)

A delf is a shovelful of sod or dirt. It is found in the canting arms of Delves, c.1460 [DBA2 298]; it was considered equivalent to a billet, in both blazon and emblazon.

The delf is always drawn in a highly stylized manner, as a square; and it’s treated more as a polygon than as an actual object. For related charges, see die, gameboard, tablet (weaver’s).

Vittorio Maria del Fabbro bears: Lozengy azure and argent, a delf sable.

Tibor of Rock Valley bears: Vert, a delf Or.

Angelique Thibodeau bears: Per chevron azure and argent, three delfs voided counterchanged.

Deer

Stag at gaze (Period)

The deer is a hooved, antlered beast famed for its speed; it was medievally considered the embodiment of purity and nobility among the beasts. The term “deer” is the generic term; more specific terms may be used in blazons, the exact term often chosen for canting purposes. These include “stag”, “hart”, and “buck” for the male; “doe” or “hind” for the female; and “fawn” or “yearling” for the young. The male is characterized by his antlers (called his “attires”): the buck is held to have broader, more palmate attires than the stag [Bromley & Child 12], but this subtle distinction was not consistently followed in period. The female and young are antlerless. Both genders are found in period armory: the stag c.1310, in the arms of Leghville, and the hind c.1275, in the arms of the Counts von Tierstein [ANA2 57].

Reindeer trippant (Period)

Other beasts of the deer category include the “reindeer”, the “roe” or “roebuck”, and the “elk”. These variants are distinguished by the shape of their attires: the elk and roe are shown more or less as in nature, while the reindeer has an heraldic stylization of two horns up, two down, as seen in the arms of Bowet, Archbishop of York, c.1460 [RH]. The roe seems to be chosen mostly for the cant, as in the arms of Rogers, c.1480 [DBA2 294]. The elk of Europe is the same beast as the “moose” of modern North America; the latter term had been used in Society blazons at one point, but is no longer registered, in favor of the period term. The elk is a period charge, found as a supporter of the Worshipful Company of Curriers, 1583 [Bromley & Child 62].

A “deer proper” is understood to be brown. There are some special terms used to blazon deer: A deer “at gaze” is statant guardant; a deer “lodged” is couchant; a deer “trippant” is passant. The illustrations show a stag at gaze, and a reindeer trippant. For related charges, see antelope (natural).

The King of the Outlands bears: Vert, a stag argent, attired and unguled, salient from between the boughs of a laurel wreath, in chief a Saxon crown, all within a bordure embattled Or.

The Shire of Buckland Cross bears: Argent, two bucks counter-salient in saltire proper within a laurel wreath vert, a bordure embattled sable.

Elisabeth Goodchilde bears: Pean, a stag trippant erminois.

Margaret Palmer bears: Vert, three stags lodged Or.

Sigmundr Ulvr bears: Or, in pale three harts springing within a bordure sable.

Arianwen de Lynn bears: Quarterly azure and gules, a hind courant to sinister within an orle argent.

Greta Rahikainen bears: Azure, three reindeer trippant argent.

Suibhne an Einigh bears: Per pale argent and vert, an elk rampant proper.

Daisy

Daisy (Period)

The daisy is a bright, cheerful flower, the medieval symbol of innocence. It is a period charge, found in the canting arms of Day, 1543 [Parker 193]. It may also be blazoned a “marguerite”, especially for canting purposes. The daisy is shown affronty by default; its “proper” tincture is argent, seeded (or “eyed”) Or.

Similar to the daisy is the “sunflower”, also known as a “heliotrope”: a larger flower with more prominent seeding. When “proper”, the sunflower is Or, with its seeding either black or brown at the artist’s discretion. It’s found in the arms of Florio, 1614 [Parker 559].

Ealasaid of the Isles bears: Purpure, three daisies argent seeded Or.

Margaret MacIain of Lochwood bears: Gyronny purpure and Or, each Or gyron charged with a daisy azure.

Cristina Rose da Napoli bears: Azure, a sunflower proper, on a chief argent three goblets gules.

Cypher charges

Cypher charges are peculiar abstract designs, runic rather than pictorial in nature. They were most frequently found in Polish armory, where they date from at least the 14^th Century [Gelre 54], and in German hausmarken. In many cases, they were not (and are not) blazonable in standard Western European heraldic terminology, but may still be blazonable by their parts, conjoined: cypher charges which can be so blazoned are permitted in Society armory.

For specific entries, see chi-rho, rogacina. See also cross, letters.

Antek Ignatovich bears: Azure, a cross couped of three crossbars, missing the dexter base arm, a bordure embattled argent.

Aron Niedźwiedź bears as a badge: In pale a cross couped between and conjoined to two chevronels couped sable.

Jan Janowicz Bogdanski bears as a badge: A horseshoe ensigned with a cross couped fitchy azure.

Cushion

Cushion (Period)

Cushion lozengewise (Period)

A cushion is a pillow or stuffed pad. The standard heraldic cushion is square or rectangular, with a tassel on each corner; if rectangular, as in the illustration, it is fesswise by Society default. Square cushions were also found lozengewise (i.e., bendwise) in period armory – more frequently, in fact, than fesswise. The cushion is found as a charge as early as c.1255, in the arms of Redman [ANA2 350]. For related charges, see bag of madder, wool-pack.

The Chamberlain of the East Kingdom bears: A cushion purpure.

La Rana bears: Vert, on a cushion Or a frog sejant affronty vert, crowned Or.

Pillow of Oertha bears: Azure, in saltire five pillows Or.

Cupping-glass

Cupping-glass (Accepted)

A cupping-glass is a medical instrument, consisting of an unornamented wide-mouthed vessel of glass or ceramic. In use, smoldering material was fixed to the vessel’s bottom, and the mouth placed on the patient’s skin; a partial vacuum was created in the vessel as the material burned. This drew the blood to the skin, which was supposed to improve the patient’s circulation.

The cupping-glass does not appear to have been used in armory; the one Society registration to date depicts a 19^th C. version. The illustration shows a more medieval form, taken from da Siena, La regime du corps, c.1287. The cupping-glass’s mouth is to chief by Society default. See also cup, flask.

Robin of Mannefeld bears: Sable mullety, in a cupping-glass inverted argent, a rose purpure, barbed and seeded proper.

Cup; Beaker

Cup (Period)

A cup is a drinking vessel, consisting of a bowl atop a stem and base. It may also be termed a “chalice” or “goblet”, especially if ornamented or jewelled; such details are considered artistic license. The cup is an ancient charge, found in the arms of de Argentine c.1244 [Asp2 216].

Covered cup (British) (Period)

Covered cup (Continental) (Period)

In Society armory, the cup is usually shown with open mouth; this matches examples from period Italian heraldry, such as the arms of de Bonfilliis, mid-15^th C. [Triv 64]. In most other period armory, the cup is normally covered: with a domed lid in English armory, with stiffened cloth in Iberian and German armory. Such covers seem to have counted for little if any heraldic difference; they are nonetheless blazoned in Society armory. The mouth of the cup is to chief by default.

Beaker (Period)

Prunted beaker (Period)

Related to the cup is the “beaker”, a basically cylindrical shape (slightly tapering) without stem or base. It too is a period charge, found in the canting arms (Italian bicchiere) of di Bizeriis, mid-15^th C. [Triv 65]. A slightly modified form was found in the canting arms of Escher vom Glas, 1605 [Siebmacher 199]; this form shows a beaker “prunted” in the typical German mode.

Mazer (Accepted)

Other drinking vessels found in Society armory include the “mazer”, a festive drinking bowl traditionally made from maple wood. It is usually shown footed and decorated.

For related charges, see bowl, pitcher, saltcellar, tankard. See also cupping-glass, mortar and pestle.

The Baron of Rising Waters bears: Gyronny arrondi gules and argent, a goblet Or within a laurel wreath vert.

Snorri Styrr Bolli bears: Gules, a chalice argent.

Armand de Mortain bears: Per pale azure and sable, three cups Or.

Kolfinna Thorgrimsdottir bears: Argent, a covered cup and a gore purpure.

Elen Greenhand bears: Or, a mazer sable grasped by a pair of hands fesswise vert, within an orle of acorns proper.

Brangwain nic Stiubhard bears as a badge: On a beaker azure a dolphin hauriant Or.

Cuirass

Cuirass (Period)

A cuirass is a piece of armor, designed to protect the torso; it is also called a “breastplate” for that reason, though the charge frequently includes faulds or hip protection. It’s found in the arms of Balbirny of that Ilk, 1542 [Lindsay], possibly as a cant on “byrnie”, or mail hauberk. The cuirass is affronty by default. For related charges, see jerkin, mail.

The Orden de María, of the Barony of Glymm Mere, bears: Azure, a cuirass argent and a bordure rayonny Or.

Khalid al-Khadir bears: Sable, a cuirass and on a chief argent, in sinister a decrescent azure.

Richard Devlin Bordeaux bears: Gules, a breastplate argent, a point pointed and on a chief Or three gunstones.

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