Search Results for: flame

Lighthouse

Lighthouse (Accepted)

A lighthouse is an edifice with a fire on top, used as an aid to navigation. Though a period structure, dating from ancient times (e.g., the lighthouse of Pharos), it does not appear in medieval armory. For related charges, see beacon, tower.

Spurius Furius Eruditus bears: Argent, a bend sinister wavy azure between an open flame lighthouse gules and a lymphad, sails furled, sable.

Karl Friedrich von Sturmhofen bears: Argent, a lighthouse sable enflamed in chief gules within a bordure rayonny sable goutty argent.

Lantern

Lantern (Accepted)

A lantern is an enclosed source of light. The mundane heraldic lantern (which does not date to period) is a ship’s lantern, spherical and with swivels to keep the inner lamp upright [Bromley & Child 241]. The Society’s default lantern might be more fully termed a “hanging lantern”: an enclosed cylinder or box, often with a handle, containing a candle, which it protects from the elements. If the candle is visible, it’s usually shown lit, whether blazoned so or not.

In early Society heraldry, the lantern was drawn in the form used at the camping events of that time: with large glass panes mounted in a thin frame. This modern form of lantern is no longer registerable, pending period documentation. The more period lantern used panes of horn or oiled parchment; the illustration is taken from a mural painting of the Chapel Notre-Dame des Fontaine, La Brigue, late 15th C. The lantern’s panes may sometimes be explicitly tinctured in the blazon, though no difference is granted for it.

For related charges, see lamp. See also torch.

Arthur of Lockhaven bears: Azure, a lantern Or.

Thomas Ouswood bears: Vert, a lantern argent enflamed Or.

Saher Faux bears: Or, a staff bendwise, dependent from its dexter end a lantern, all within a bordure indented sable.

Lamp

Lamp, lit (Period)

A lamp is a source of light, consisting of a container of oil with an emerging wick. The earliest form, dating from at least Roman times, was simply a shallow bowl bearing a wick; the most usual medieval form had a conical base, which could be held in the hand or mounted on a fixture. This is the default heraldic form of lamp, found in period armory in the arms of Wetewang, c.1410 [TJ 1555; see also Bedingfeld 90].

Arabian lamp, lit (Accepted)

However, the most commonly found lamp in Society armory is the “Arabian lamp”, with a handle at one end and the wick in a spout at the other; it’s also been blazoned a “Greek lamp”, though the shape is unchanged. It’s frequently drawn as the “Aladdin’s lamp” of modern imagery; we’ve no period examples of lamps in that form, neither as a charge nor as an artifact. However, a basic boat-shaped form of lamp was used in period, as terra cotta artifacts: the illustration is based on an 11^th C. terra cotta lamp found in Sicily. Based on that example, the Arabian lamp is still permitted for Society use as of this writing. The Arabian lamp has its handle to sinister by default.

Hanging oil lamp, lit (Accepted)

Society armory also has the “hanging oil lamp”, with a shallow flat bowl of oil fastened to a vertical handle: the handle can be hung from a hook over a drawing table. Like the Arabian lamp, it isn’t found in period armory; however, the hanging oil lamp is a period artifact, as seen in the Opera of Bartoloneo Scappi, 1570, on which the illustration is based [Peter Thornton, The Italian Renaissance Interior, 1400-1600, plate 347; cf. also plates 23, 294]. Unlike the Arabian lamp, the hanging oil lamp doesn’t have a default orientation; it is left as an unblazoned detail. (There’s also one instance in Society armory blazoned simply an “oil lamp”, with no handles; it’s the exception.)

Any form of lamp, if blazoned “flammant” or “enflamed”, is shown with the wick lit. “Lit”, of course, works as well. The lamps in the illustrations are all lit.

For related charges, see candle, lantern, torch. See also pitcher.

The Royal University of Ithra bears: Gules, on a sun Or eclipsed gules, an Arabian lamp flammant Or.

The Order of the Golden Beacon, of the Barony of Ynys Fawr, bears: Per bend sinister azure and Or, a lamp argent enflamed Or.

Tiffanie du Claire bears: Purpure, a [square] oil lamp enflamed between three stars of David one and two Or.

Arthur Lemner of Wesley bears: Azure, in pale a drawing compass and a two-spouted oil lamp argent, enflamed Or.

Brigid Duncan bears: Per bend vert and gules, a bend between a hanging oil lamp argent lit Or and a boar sejant Or.

Humanoid monsters

This category of monster consists of those whose forms are basically human, but with additions or mutations. There does not seem to be a default posture common to all of them. When blazoned “proper”, period practice would assume the human parts to be Caucasian (pink or white) unless otherwise specified; Society blazon had once followed this, but is now more inclusive. The human portions of these monsters now follow the same Society blazon conventions as human figures (q.v.).

Angel (Period)

Standing seraph (Accepted)

The “angel” is a human with a pair of wings on its back; it’s a period charge, found in the canting arms of von Engelhoffer c.1450 [Ingeram 140; also Siebmacher 97]. Its default posture is statant affronty, wings displayed (frequently displayed inverted) [Parker 10]. A specific variant of this is the Archangel Michael, so named in blazon: winged and haloed, but armed and armor-clad (and frequently depicted vanquishing a dragon underfoot).

A Society variant of the angel is the “standing seraph”, with six wings: two with tips up, two with tips down, and two covering the body. Like the angel, it’s statant affronty by default. (These are not to be confused with the “cherub” and the “seraph”, which are winged heads; these may be found under (human) head.)

Fury statant affronty, wings displayed (Accepted)

Satyr maintaining a panpipe (Period)

The “fury” is a creature from Greek myth, a winged woman with serpents for hair. It appears to be unique to Society heraldry.

The “satyr” or “pan” is also from Greek myth; it combines the torso of a human with the hindquarters of a goat. It is horned, and may be shown playing a panpipe. The satyr is found as an heraldic charge in the arms of Arcos, c.1540 [Nobreza xl]; though cantingly armed with a bow, and blazoned as a “sagittary”, the creature has two feet, not four, and they are cloven.

Troll (Period)

Demon (Disallowed)

The “troll” is a charge from Scandinavian heraldry, found in the canting arms of Trolle, c.1440 [Raneke 412-413]. (It is sometimes, erroneously, blazoned a “devil” outside Scandinavia.) The heraldic troll is distinguished by having no head: its face is embedded in its torso. It has clawed hands and feet, and a tail; by default, it is shown passant, with the head in full view, and one hand holding the tail.

Finally, there is the “demon” or “gargoyle”, like the satyr in having a beast’s hindquarters, but with the addition of bat-wings, a barbed tail, and sometimes talons. Unfortunately, its best-known heraldic use, in the arms of the City of Brussels, dates only to the early 19^th Century. Demons depicted in period books of hours vary too widely in appearance to be reproducible; therefore, pending evidence of their use in period armory, demons are no longer permitted in Society armory.

For specific entries of other monsters with human parts, see: centaur, harpy, lamia, man-serpent, manticore, man-tyger, mermaid, silkie, sphinx, tarasque.

The Baron of the Angels bears: Gules, a standing seraph affronty proper, winged Or, haloed of a laurel wreath proper.

The Canton of Trollhaven bears: Argent, a troll within a laurel wreath vert and on a chief azure a three-arched bridge Or.

Francesca d’Angelo le Noir bears: Argent, a brunette angel proper, winged and vested sable.

Rhys Gethin bears: Vert semy-de-lys Or, the Archangel Michael argent haloed Or.

Jason the Blue bears: Or, a four-armed demon azure, winged gules.

Marta as-tu Mika-Mysliwy bears: Per chevron vert and Or, in base a satyr dancing and piping proper.

Megara di Alessandra bears: Sable, a Fury rampant affronty, sinister hand lowered, proper vested argent, winged Or, maintaining in the dexter hand a torch bendwise sinister enflamed proper.

Handgun rest

Handgun rest (Period)

A handgun rest is a long spiked pole with a forked top, designed to act as a brace and support for early firearms. Although a period artifact, dating from the late 16^th Century [Stone 461], the handgun rest per se doesn’t appear to have been used in armory. The charge is acceptable for Society use, not only as a period artifact, but by its similarity to period charges: the artifacts in the arms of Waldstromer von Reichelsdorff, 1605 [Siebmacher 108], or the “oarlocks” (Italian scalmi) in the arms of de Galber, mid-15^th C. [Triv 166]. By whatever name, the charge is palewise by default. See also fork.

Eadmond du Battlemont bears: Per pale embattled gules and Or, to dexter a handgonne rest Or and to sinister a slow match, ends in chief enflamed, proper.

Craig Joyful bears: Or, a handgun rest azure surmounted by a chevron inverted gules.

Edward the Tall bears: Argent, two oarlocks in saltire and on a chief azure three garbs Or.

Hand

Hand (Period)

Fist (Period)

A hand is a human appendage used for grasping and holding; it is found in the canting arms (French main) of Malmains, c.1275 [ANA2 469]. The default hand is the dexter hand, the default posture is apaumy and couped. Sinister hands are very frequently found in period armory, as well. While Society armory grants no difference between left and right hands, current practice is to explicitly blazon the handedness.

The hand is unclothed by default; sometimes it is found issuant from a cuff, which fact is blazoned. In period blazon, a “hand proper” was assumed to be Caucasian (pink or white) unless otherwise specified; Society blazon had once followed this, but is now more inclusive. Hands proper now follow the same Society blazon conventions as full humans proper, as described under human figure.

Hands are found in other postures besides apaumy. The hand may be “clenched”, forming a fist; indeed, this form may be simply blazoned a “fist”, as in the canting arms (German Faust) of Fausten, 1605 [Siebmacher 211]. A variant of this form is a fist with the index finger extended, as in the arms of Angiolini, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 278:273].

Pair of hands in birkat kohanim (Period)

Hand of benediction (Period)

A pair of hands “in birkat kohanim” has the hands slightly tilted towards each other, the fingers spread but with the index and middle fingers together, as well as the ring and little fingers. This hand gesture is used as a Jewish blessing. The motif is found in period armory, in the arms of Rabbi Abraham Menachem Rapoport, d.1596 [Nathan Ausubel, Pictorial History of the Jewish People].

Similarly, a “hand of benediction” is a gesture used in Christian blessing: the hand is apaumy, with the thumb and two fingers upright, the other fingers curled into the palm. It’s quite frequent in books of hours, and is depicted in modern heraldry texts [Guide 131], but makes very few appearances in period armory: e.g., the crest of Boyd, 1582 [Dunvegan Armorial, fo.253], or the attributed arms of Prester John, c.1530 [BSB Cod.Icon 391:55]. A vested arm ending in a hand of benediction is found in the episcopal arms of Sechau or Seckaw, 1605 [Siebmacher 12].

Hand of Fatima (Disallowed); hand of glory (Disallowed)

The “hand of Fatima” (hamsa) is a stylization from North Africa and the Middle East. Though we have examples of the motif dating from the 12^th Century, there was wide variation in its depiction. Most particularly, the modern depiction of the hand of Fatima, symmetrical and with two “thumbs” curving outward, has no period support as of this writing, and is no longer registerable. A hand drawn as a period hamsa is still permitted, if identifiable as a hand; the style of depiction is left unblazoned.

The “hand aversant” is the opposite of the hand apaumy, with the back of the hand to the viewer. Peculiar to the Society is the “hand of glory”, a hand enflamed, which is no longer permitted in Society heraldry.

In British heraldry, a sinister hand apaumy gules is used as the augmentation for baronets; and the “hand of Ulster”, a dexter hand apaumy gules, is a reserved charge in Irish heraldry. For these reasons, Society armory disallows the use of red hands apaumy on white backgrounds, when they appear to be in the form of an augmentation.

For related charges, see arm, foi, gauntlet. See also glove-puppet.

Mia Sperling bears: Sable, a hand ermine.

Molly Gill Brae bears: Argent, a hand fesswise vert.

Chrystofer Larchmont bears: Gyronny vert and Or, a dexter fist erased gules.

Iaenbryht Græghar bears: Per pale gules and vert, in chief a hand in benediction argent.

Hadrardus Blach bears: Gules, on a bend argent a sinister fist and a dexter fist both fesswise with index fingers extended sable, in chief a compass rose bendwise argent.

Sulima ibn Jafar bears: Azure, a hand of Fatima couped between three goblets argent.

Jethro Stille bears as a badge: Per fess azure and Or, two hands in birkat kohanim and a double-headed eagle counterchanged.

Ham

Ham (Accepted)

A ham is a severed thigh of pork, usually cured to prevent spoilage. It’s a period foodstuff – the illustration is taken from a book of hours from Poitiers, c.1475, now in the Pierpont Morgan Library – but no period examples of its use in heraldry have been found. The Society’s default for the ham is fesswise, with the narrow end (the “handle”) to sinister. See also leg.

Morgan of Osprey bears as a badge: A ham reversed sable boned argent enflamed on the upper edge proper.

Griffin; Keythong

Griffin (Period)

Keythong rampant (Period)

The griffin, or gryphon, is a classical monster, with the head, wings and forefeet of an eagle, the hindquarters of a lion, and mammalian ears; period emblazons sometimes show it bearded as well. Its default posture is rampant, which when applied to griffins may be termed “segreant”. The griffin is one of the earliest heraldic monsters, dating from c.1280 in the arms of Montagu [ANA2 492].

The griffin has several variant forms, as might be expected for a monster of such antiquity. The form found in ancient Assyria, for example, has a lion’s forelegs instead of an eagle’s forelegs; no heraldic difference is granted for this artistic variation.

There is also what later texts call the “male griffin”: this differs from the standard griffin by a lack of wings, and by sharp spikes radiating from its body. (The term “male griffin” is a misnomer: both forms were shown with male members in period art.) This same creature was termed a “keythong” in a roll of badges, 1475 [Dennys CoA]; it was certainly considered a separate monster in period. Some authors have suggested that it developed from the German form of the heraldic panther, with the spikes meant as the panther’s flames. “Male griffin” is the more common term for this monster, but “keythong” is coming into use as well. The illustration shows a keythong rampant.

For related charges, see dragon, hippogriff, opinicus.

The King of Avacal bears: Quarterly argent and Or, a griffin rampant, on a point pointed gules a crown within a laurel wreath Or.

Alfonso de Castile bears: Or, a griffin segreant sable.

John ap Griffin bears: Vert, a griffin segreant contourny Or.

Maureen ha-Ivriah bears: Azure, an Assyrian griffin couchant, gazing to chief, wings displayed argent.

Gruffydd ap Idwallon bears: Ermine, a keythong rampant contourny reguardant vert.

Flask

Flask (Period)

Phial (Period)

A flask is a vessel, usually of glass or ceramic, with a constricted neck and a broad base. Generally, the term implies a laboratory vessel, used for chemical or alchemical procedures: the illustration is taken from de Bara, 1581 [132], who blazons it as un thalame philosophal. The flask is a period charge, found in the canting arms (Italian fiasco) of Fiaschi, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 278:305].

There is also the “phial”, intended to hold small amounts of fluid (frequently for medicinal use). Phials are found in the arms of Adam de Rous, surgeon, 1379 [DBA3 42], and cited in Bossewell, 1572 [II.117]. The Society also has a similar charge, the “ampulla”, a small two-handled bottle used for relics, holy oil, &c. It’s smaller and more spherical.

Alembic flask (Accepted)

One specific type of flask is the “alembic flask”: used for distillation, it has a long sloping spout. It should not be confused with an “alembick”, which a post-period term for another charge altogether; for this reason, Society heraldry explicitly blazons it an “alembic flask“. It’s also frequently blazoned a “retort”, especially when drawn with a smooth, unbroken surface. As a charge, the alembic flask/retort seems to be unique to Society armory; its spout is to dexter by Society default. For related charges, see bottle, urinal.

The Alchemy Guild of the Barony of Rivenstar bears: Quarterly gules, azure, vert and sable, a retort reversed purpure fimbriated Or.

Vasco Pereira de Faria bears: Per bend Or and argent, an alembic flask vert.

Robert of the Angels bears: Azure, on a bend cotised between two flasks argent, a recorder, bell to chief sable.

Lorenzo Alhambra bears: Vert, on a chevron between three flasks argent, two salamanders combattant vert enflamed gules.

Michael Tryggve bears: Purpure, an ampulla Or, billety vert.

Fireplace

Fireplace with flames (Accepted)

A fireplace is an open place in a room’s wall, lined with brick, in which fires may be lit to warm the room. The fire is evidently blazoned explicitly. Though a period artifact, the fireplace has not been adduced in period armory. See also edifice.

Kalida Ivanovna bears: Sable, within a fireplace argent, masoned sable, flames of fire proper.

Willeam Rudhall bears: Quarterly azure and sable, within a fireplace Or a flame gules.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings