Beaver rampant (Period)

The beaver is a wise and gentle beast, whose medieval reputation was of industry and, strangely enough, chastity:  because its testicles were held to have medicinal value, it was said the beaver would bite them off when hunted, and thus escape its hunters.  It is found in period armory in the canting arms (German Biber) of Biber, c.1340 [Zurich 212], and of von Bibra, 1605 [Siebmacher 100].

The beaver is drawn in heraldic art with a broad, flat tail, as seen in nature – the tail is the beaver’s defining trait – but there’s little further resemblance between the herald’s depiction and the naturalist’s.  (The Society makes an exception when the beaver is blazoned “proper”; it’s then colored brown, and is more likely to be drawn naturalistically.)  There doesn’t seem to be a default posture; the illustration, from the arms of Bibrach or Biberach, 1413 [Conz.Const. ccviii, also Siebmacher 196], shows a beaver rampant.

Esteban Castore bears:  Vert, a beaver sejant erect gnawing on a silver birch tree proper.

Dauidh Fullam bears:  Per bend sinister gules and Or, a beaver sejant erect counterchanged.

Issabella Oger of Buckie bears:  Argent, a beaver rampant azure.

Beasts in Society heraldry tend to follow the same conventions as those in mundane heraldry.  Any special Society usages for a given beast will be found in the entry for that beast.

Any beast known to period Europeans may be used in Society armory – though, if the beast is not itself European, its use may be considered a step from period practice.  (An exception is made for non-European beasts actually used in period European armory:  the elephant is probably the best-known example.)

For specific beasts, see:  antelope (natural), ape, badger, bat, bear, beaver, boar, bull, camel, cat, deer, dog, elephant, ermine, fox, goat, hedgehog, horse, hyena, ibex (natural), lion, mole, mongoose, mouse, panther (natural), rabbit, rhinoceros, sea-lion (natural), sheep, squirrel, tyger (natural), wolf.  See also demi-beast.

Gareth the Russel bears:  Azure, a skunk statant proper.

David of Staffa bears:  Or, a hippopotamus statant azure, a base engrailed vert.

Sven Örfhendur bears:  Argent, a sloth pendant contourny vert from a rod fesswise sable.

Rosatrude the Shrew bears:  Or, a water shrew statant to sinister sable marked argent.