Sea-horse

Sea-horse (Period)

Sea-horse (Period)

Natural sea-horse (Accepted)

Natural sea-horse (Accepted)

The sea-horse is an heraldic sea-monster, with the foreparts of a horse and the tail of a fish.  Period depictions, from the late 15th Century, may show it with forehooves, or with fins in their place; either form is correct.  (The latter is more often found in English emblazons, as with the supporters of the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, 1573 [Bromley & Child 198].)  There may also be a webbed dorsal fin; this too is artistic license.  The sea-horse is erect by default, as in the illustration.

The modified term “natural sea-horse” refers to the small tropical fish of the Syngnathidae family.  At one point, it was sometimes blazoned a “hippocampus”, but that term is no longer used in the Society, as being ambiguous.  The natural sea-horse’s naiant posture, erect with the tail curled, is its default.

The Crown Province of Østgarðr bears:  Argent, a sea-horse erect azure within a laurel wreath vert.

Katharine Ravenshill bears:  Sable, a sea-horse Or.

Adriana von Vogelsang bears:  Vert, two natural sea-horses addorsed argent.

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