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Naga

Five-headed naga glissant (SFPP)

Five-headed naga glissant (SFPP)

The naga is a mythical creature of Asia, depicted in various forms depending on the region. As accepted for Society use, the naga is a monster drawn as a serpent with multiple stylized heads; this is the form found in Thailand, as described by a Portuguese Jesuit, Fernão Mendes Pinto, in 1569 (papers published posthumously in 1614).

Like the serpent, the naga has no default posture in Society armory; likewise, the number of heads is explicitly blazoned. The illustration shows a five-headed naga glissant. The use of the naga, as a motif from outside period Europe, carries a step from period practice. For related charges, see dragon (hydra).

The Canton of Golden Playne bears: Vert, a five-headed naga glissant contourny Or within a laurel wreath argent.

Munokhoi Kiyan bears: Or, a three-headed naga glissant within an orle sable.

This entry was posted on May 23, 2014, in .

Crucifix

Crucifix (Period)

Crucifix (Period)

A crucifix is a religious icon, consisting of a cross surmounted by the figure of Jesus.  Period rolls and texts [RH; de Bara 199; Nobreza xliº] ascribe a crucifix to the attributed arms of Prester John, “Emperor of India”.

As of this writing, the only example of a crucifix in Society armory is a specific artifact: the crucifix of San Damiano, dated to the 11th Century, and considered special to the Franciscan Order.  In general, the type of crucifix should not be specified.  See also paternoster.

Francesco Gaetano Greco d’Edessa bears as a badge:  Per fess enarched gules and vert, a San Damiano crucifix argent charged with a figure of Christ sable.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Crozier

Crozier (Period)

Crozier (Period)

Archepiscopal staff (Period), shepherd's crook (Period)

Archepiscopal staff (Period), shepherd’s crook (Period)

A crozier, or crosier, is a bishop’s staff, a highly ornamented depiction of a shepherd’s crook.  It’s a period charge, frequently found in the arms of bishoprics, but not exclusively:  e.g., the arms of di Spiciani, mid-15th C. [Triv 338].  The crozier is palewise by default, with its opening to dexter.

Similar to the crozier is the “archepiscopal staff”, with a cross formy at the end, found in the arms of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1514 [HCE xxx].  Finally, there’s the “crook” or “shepherd’s crook”, the simple herder’s staff on which the crozier was based, found in the canting arms of Crook, c.1285 [ANA2 308].

For related charges, see crook of Basel.

Nicholas Abbas de l’Eau Vivante bears:  Argent, a crozier azure and a ford proper.

Thora Olafsdottir bears:  Quarterly azure and vert, in saltire two shepherd’s crooks Or.

Wolfram von Nürnberg bears:  Or, a wolf rampant azure maintaining an archepiscopal staff sable within an orle of wolf’s pawprints azure.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Cross: Ukrainian sun

Ukrainian sun-cross (Disallowed)

Ukrainian sun-cross (Disallowed)

The “Ukrainian sun cross” is a motif from Russian art; however, pending evidence of its use in medieval armory, it’s been disallowed from further Society use.

Vassillissa Koshkovna Nakhodchivaya bears:  Gules, a dolphin naiant contourny inverted embowed to base argent, maintaining in its mouth a leek vert, on a chief triangular argent a Ukrainian sun-cross gules.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Cross: Tripartite and fretted

Cross tripartite and fretted (Period)

Cross tripartite and fretted (Period)

The “cross tripartite (or triple-parted) and fretted” may also be blazoned a “cross of three pallets fretted with three barrulets”.  It’s a period treatment, found in the arms of Skirlaw, 1406 [Boutell 49].

Druscilla Galbraith bears:  Vert, a cross triple-parted and fretted argent.

Elena Wyth bears:  Argent, a cross triply parted and fretted within a bordure azure.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Cross: Toulouse

Cross of Toulouse (Period)

Cross of Toulouse (Period)

The “cross of Toulouse” was blazoned as a “cross clechy, voided and pometty” in early blazons.  It is found in the arms of the Counts of Toulouse as early as c.1245 [Asp2 216].

Geneviève de Vendome bears:  Or, a cross of Toulouse gules.

Antonia Ruccellai bears:  Azure, a cross of Toulouse argent.

Vlksha Iakovleva bears:  Gyronny argent and gules, a cross of Toulouse sable.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Cross: Tau, Anthony

Tau cross (Period)

Tau cross (Period)

The “tau cross” may also be blazoned a “cross of St. Anthony”.  It is found in the arms of Drewry, c.1460 [RH].

Timothy Brother bears:  Azure, a tau cross Or.

Henri d’Artois bears:  Per bend sinister argent and sable, two tau crosses counterchanged.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Cross: Swallowtailed

Cross swallowtailed (Period)

Cross swallowtailed (Period)

The “cross swallowtailed” is found in the arms of de Marinonibus, mid-15th C. [Triv 217], where it’s blazoned a “cross of eight points”.  However, the latter term can also refer to the Maltese cross [Franklyn 118], so the Society’s term is preferred.

Eric of the Broken Cross bears:  Gules, a cross swallowtailed azure fimbriated Or.

Savaric de Pardieu bears:  Quarterly argent and sable, in saltire five crosses swallowtailed counterchanged.

John Teller bears:  Quarterly sable and Or, a Latin cross swallowtailed argent.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Cross: Stellata

Crux stellata (Accepted)

Crux stellata (Accepted)

The “crux stellata” (literally “starred cross”) appears to be a Victorian invention (perhaps of Australian origin); no examples have been found in period armory.

The Shire of Southkeep bears:  Azure, a tower issuant from a base embattled or, in canton a crux stellata argent, in base a laurel wreath vert.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .

Cross: Star

Star cross (Disallowed)

Star cross (Disallowed)

The “star cross” is a Society invention.  It’s supposed to have been an ancient Christian symbol formed from the Greek letters iota-chi, the monogram for Jesus Christ.  In modern times, it has become the symbol of emergency medical care; its Society use is now disallowed.

Alain de Rocher bears:  Gules, a star cross within a bordure argent.

This entry was posted on January 10, 2014, in .