Pheon (Period)

Broad-arrow (Period)

A pheon is a steel arrow-head, used by bow hunters; its blades’ inner edges are engrailed, the better to penetrate the quarry.  In actual use, the central shank is attached to a feathered shaft; in armory, the shaft is not shown.  As an heraldic charge, the pheon dates from c.1295, in the arms of Egerton [ANA2 416]; but it is more famous as the arms of Sydney, Earl of Leicester, d.1586 [Wagner 70].

An artistic variant of the pheon is the “broad-arrow”, or “broadhead”, with straight inner edges; it was a English Royal badge c.1330 [H. Stanford London, “Official Badges”, Coat of Arms, IV(27), July 56, p.93].  In all other respects it is identical to the pheon.  (Indeed, there was considerable confusion between them in period armory; thus they are considered negligibly different in Society armory.)

The pheon and broad-arrow have the point to chief by Continental default, and point to base by English default; the Society follows the English usage.

For related charges, see arrow, rogacina, spearhead.

Njal Olaf Hagarson bears:  Per pale gules and Or, a pheon counterchanged.

Seaan McAy bears:  Per fess indented argent and vert, three pheons counterchanged.

Richard Blayborne bears:  Gules, six broadarrows Or.