Tower

Tower (Period)

Spired tower (Period); domed tower (Period)

A tower is a fortified edifice, roughly cylindrical with an embattled top; the door faces the viewer by default. The tower is frequently depicted with a cruciform arrow-slit facing the viewer; this is frequently left unblazoned. When blazoned “proper”, the tower is grey (i.e., argent), the color of stone. The tower is often drawn masoned, even when not explicitly blazoned so.

The top of the tower is subject to variation. A “tower triple-towered” has three tiny towers issuant from its top, as in the arms of Amcotte or Amcots, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 291:94]. A tower may be “spired”, with a conical roof, as in the arms of Harta or Harsdorf, mid-16^th C. [BSB Cod.Icon 308:372]. Or it may be “domed”, hemispherically by default, as in the arms of Burnsen, 1562 [BSB Cod.Icon 265:122]; the Society has examples of “onion-domed” towers as well.

Tower conjoined to wall extending to sinister (Period)

Siege tower (Accepted)

A tower may be conjoined to a wall extending to sinister, as in the arms of Tour de Vinay, c.1370 [Gelre 50]. It may be “ruined” or “ruinous”, with the foundation intact but the top crumbled away. A “tower enflamed” has flames issuant from the top, and often the windows as well.

Finally, there are the tower variants unique to the Society: The “pagoda” is an Buddhist temple building with characteristic eaves. The “minaret”, associated with mosques, is a spire with a balcony near the top, where the muezzin may call the Faithful to prayer. The “siege tower”, or “belfroi”, is a wheeled siege engine which permits attackers to climb into a castle while safe from the defenders; it faces dexter by default, and its “proper” coloration is wooden brown.

Minaret (probable SFPP)

Pagoda (questionable)

Period heralds drew no distinction between the tower and the castle, treating them interchangeably; the exact blazon was often chosen solely for a cant, as with the arms of Towers, c.1310 (bearing what we would deem “castles” though the cant makes them towers) [ANA2 169]. Society heraldry distinguishes the castle from the tower for the sake of the artist, but grants no heraldic difference. For related charges, see lighthouse. See also bridge, wall.

The Baron of the Lonely Tower bears: Quarterly sable and gules, in pale a tower and a laurel wreath argent.

The Shire of the Isles bears: Barry wavy argent and azure, a tower within a laurel wreath gules.

Ann of the White Tower bears: Sable, a tower argent.

William of Hoghton bears: Per bend sinister sable and Or, in bend two towers counterchanged.

Adrian Buchanon bears: Per pale wavy azure and gules, a pale wavy between a tower argent, portalled to sinister, and a wooden siege tower proper.

Margherita di San Gimignano bears: Per bend argent and azure, a conical tower erminois.

Alysandra the Whyte Moor bears: Per bend sinister vert and argent, an onion-domed tower Or and a dragon’s head couped at the shoulder gules.

Joella of Blue Lion’s Keep bears: Per fess argent and azure, a lion passant and a tower conjoined to sinister with a wall, all within a bordure counterchanged.

Ito Nori bears: Per fess Or and sable, three flames and a pagoda counterchanged.

Yolanda del Campo de Cerdana bears as a badge: Counter-ermine, in fess a minaret and a dome conjoined at their bases argent illumined Or.

Tortoise

Tortoise (Period)

The tortoise is a slow-paced, armor-shelled reptile. It may also be blazoned a “terrapin”; it has sometimes been blazoned as a “turtle” in the Society, though the term is modern for the reptile (it referred in period to a type of dove). While the terms are zoologically distinct, they are heraldically synonymous. The tortoise is a period charge, found in the arms of Esslinger, 1605 [Siebmacher 51].

Society armory also has examples of the “natural sea-tortoise (or turtle)”, which differs from the tortoise by having flippered feet. It shares the same defaults as the tortoise, and is considered an artistic variant only. However, pending period evidence, the natural sea-tortoise may only be tergiant (or a rotation thereof) in Society armory.

The tortoise is tergiant fesswise by English default, and tergiant palewise by Continental default; Society practice follows the Continental default. The use of a tortoise rampant is deemed a step from period practice. The natural sea-tortoise may only be tergiant in Society armory, pending documentation of other postures.

Geoffrey Maynard of York bears: Per fess engrailed Or and azure, in chief a tortoise tergiant vert.

Aoife inghean Eoghain bears: Argent, three tortoises azure.

William de Grey bears: Vert, three natural sea-turtles Or.

Torque

Torque, or torc (Accepted)

A torque, or torc, is a piece of jewelry, a stiff necklace of precious metal wires twisted together. Though found in several cultures, it’s most strongly associated with the Celts; though a period artifact, it was not used in period heraldry. The torque’s opening is to base by Society default; the ends may be described in blazon with animal heads, but no difference is granted for this. For related charges, see brooch.

The Shire of Draca Mor bears: Ermine, within a serpent-headed torc opening to chief vert surmounted by a sword sable, a laurel wreath vert.

Brand aux Deus Leons bears: Sable, a lion-headed torque opening to chief and on a chief embattled Or three hearts gules.

Rhonwen Angharad bears: Vert, a heron-headed torc argent.

Torii

Torii (SFPP)

A torii is an edifice, a Japanese gateway to a Shinto temple. It consists of two uprights supporting a curved lintel, with a straight crosspiece below. The torii is a period charge, found in the Mon of Torii Mototada, d.1600 [Hawley 95]; but as a charge from outside European armory, its use is considered a step from period practice. For related charges, see arch, dolmen.

Shimomoto Yoshinaga bears: Argent, three torii, tops to center, within and conjoined to an annulet sable.

Takashina Nichiro bears: Azure, a torii gate within an orle of cinquefoils argent.

Torch; Firebrand

Torch (Period)

Firebrand bendwise (Period)

A torch (also called a “flambeau”) is a source of light, consisting of a twist of hemp soaked in oil, and set in a holder; the holder was originally of wood, but by the end of period we find torches with long cylindrical metal holders used in processionals. The torch is a period charge, found in the canting arms (German Fackel) of Fackelstein, c.1340 [Zurich 447], upon which the illustration is based. The torch is always “enflamed”, or lit, even when not explicitly blazoned so.

A similar charge is the “firebrand”, which is simply a bit of burning wood. It’s depicted as a ragged staff with the top end enflamed; sometimes the ragged bits on the sides are enflamed as well. If blazoned “proper”, the brand is brown, the color of wood, with the flames gules and Or. The firebrand is found in the canting arms of von Brandis as early as c.1370 [Gelre 97]; the illustration shows a firebrand bendwise.

Cresset (Period)

Rushlight in its stand (Accepted)

There is also the “cresset” or “fire-basket”, a metal framework containing flame, as shown at the top of a beacon; it was a badge of John Holland, Duke of Exeter, d.1446 [HB 100], and of Henry V [Bedingfeld 129]. Finally, of Society-unique charges, we have the “rushlight”, a reed whose pith is soaked in oil, and whose upper end is lit. (The illustration shows a lit rushlight mounted in a stand.)

For related charges, see brazier, candle, lamp, lantern.

Alan Stevenson bears: Per pale argent and azure, three torches counterchanged.

Nikolaus Hildebrand bears: Argent, a firebrand bendwise proper enflamed and an orle of fleurs-de-lys gules.

Richard Fenwick bears: Argent, a rushlight bendwise proper, the dexter chief tip enflamed Or, supported by a three-legged iron stand sable.

Odette de Saint Remy bears as a badge: A cresset gules enflamed Or and argent.

Top, toy

Toy top (Period)

A toy top is, as the name implies, a children’s toy, consisting of a truncated cone which is set to spin on its point. It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms of Topclyff, 1391 [DBA2 401]. The illustration is taken from a Brueghel painting, “Young folk at play”, c.1560. The toy top has its point to base by default.

Máire of Skye bears: Vert, a toy top Or charged with a bar embowed to base purpure.

Joan Silvertoppe bears as a badge: A toy top argent.

Tooth

Molar, or fanged tooth (Period)

A tooth is a bone-like structure set in the jaws of most vertebrates, used for biting and crushing food, displaying threats, and smiling. In mundane heraldry, the tooth is normally depicted as a human molar, with the roots extending to base; it is also blazoned (somewhat confusingly) as a “fanged tooth” [Franklyn 130]. It’s found in the canting arms (Dutch kies, “molar”) of Kies or Kees, as seen in a stained glass window dated c.1594, in the Sint-Janskirk (Church of St. John Baptist) in Gouda, Netherlands.

Fang (Disallowed)

Elephant’s tusk (Disallowed)

A tooth that comes to a point may also be called a “fang”; such fangs have their points to base by Society default. The fang is visually equivalent to a drinking horn; it has been disallowed for Society heraldry, due to its lack of ready identifiability.

A similar charge, which seems to be unique to the Society, is the “tusk”: an elephant’s tooth, couped and with point to chief by default. The tusk is no longer permitted to be registered.

Wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister (Period)

“Wolves’ teeth” are a highly stylized German charge, consisting of three or four curved points issuant from the edge of the shield. They usually issue from the flanks, as in the arms of Keudel, 1605; we’ve an example of them issuant from base, in the arms of Schinsky, 1605 [Siebmacher 135, 28]. Having wolves’ teeth issue from other points, such as from chief, is treated as a step from period practice, as is inverting them. The point at which the teeth enter the shield, as well as the number of teeth, are always blazoned; the teeth should be drawn touching, or nearly so, at their bases. The illustration shows three wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister.

Margery Kent of York bears: Purpure, three teeth argent. [Drawn as molars]

Octa Bluetooth bears: Gyronny gules and argent, a bear’s tooth azure.

Cahan Kyle bears: Azure, two tusks, tips crossed in saltire Or.

Duncan Bruce of Logan bears: Or, three wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister sable.

Tools

Tools are implements to help in building or making. The term can be applied very broadly, but is usually understood to refer to the hand tools employed in industry or artisanry.

For woodworking tools, see: adze, awl, axe, chisel, drawknife, float, gimlet, hammer, knife, plane, saw. See also nail, square.

For metalworking tools, see: anvil, graver, hammer, punch, tongs.

For tools involving cloth, clothing, or thread, see: broach, drop-spindle, hempbreak, knife, loom, shears, spinning wheel. See also comb (wool), needle, quill of yarn, shuttle, spool of thread.

For gardening or agricultural tools, see: adze, axe, fork, harrow, hoe, plough, pruning hook, rake, scythe, sickle, spade, trowel.

For tools related to food and drink preparation, see: brewer’s scoop, fork, frying pan, knife, mash rake, pot, spoon, strainer. See also cleaver, oven, sieve.

For building or stoneworking tools, see: axe, chisel, hammer, knife, level, pick, saw, trowel. See also ladder.

For other entries, see: brush, grozing iron, press, shave.

Tongue

Dragon’s tongue fesswise (Disallowed)

A tongue is the movable muscular structure found in most beasts’ mouths. It rarely occurs as an independent charge, even in the Society. There is but one example of a “dragon’s tongue” in Society heraldry, but the charge is no longer permitted.

Sarkanyi Gero bears as a badge: Per fess Or and azure, a triple dragon’s tongue in pale gules.

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

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