Estencely (Period)

Sparks are tiny flashes of light or radiance.  In early Norman heraldry, a field semy of sparks was termed “estencelé”, and was not uncommon [Brault 197].  Estencelé, or estencely, is only found as a semy field; its sparks are not used as individual charges.  In mundane armory, estencely is considered negligibly different from a semy of estoiles or mullets.  See also ermine spot, semy.

François la Flamme bears:  Vert estencely Or.

Brigitta da Montanha da Fogo bears:  Or estencely, a mountain gules.

Kevin Nollaig of St. Golias bears:  Quarterly vert and Or all estencely counterchanged.

Sheaf of three spears (Period)

A sheaf is a bundle or cluster of objects.  The unmodified term is normally considered equivalent to a garb, and this is sometimes made explicit (e.g., “a sheaf of wheat”).  But in blazonry, the term also refers to a group of three charges, two in saltire surmounted by another palewise.  The term is most often used with arrows:  a “sheaf of (three) arrows” is a common motif, found in the arms of Joskyn, c.1435 [DBA1 11].  But the term has also been used in mundane blazons for charges other than arrows [Franklyn 302], and it has been adopted for use in Society blazons as well.  (It thus replaces older, more awkward neologisms, such as “in estoile” or “in gyronny”).

The illustration shows a sheaf of three spears.  It is also possible to have more than three charges in a sheaf, but such cases must be explicitly blazoned.

Sten Stensson bears:  Vert, three sheaves of arrows argent.

Conaire Anluan MacMurchadha bears:  Vert, a sheaf of three spears argent within a bordure checky vert and Or.

Kilic ibn Sungur ibn al-Kazganci al-Turhani bears:  Sable, a sheaf of five swords argent within an orle Or.

Semy of roundels (Period)

A semy field is one strewn or powdered with many small, identical charges.  In medieval usage, any number greater than six could be blazoned “semy”.  (Strictly speaking, “semy” is an adjective, not a noun:  it’s from the French semée, “strewn”.)

Semy charges on the field may be drawn as whole charges, placed to fit as best they can; or as an orderly array of charges, cut off by the edges of the shield.  Both depictions are period, and either may be used.  While semy charges are not a field treatment, in many ways they act as though they were:  e.g., semy charges on a field are always blazoned immediately after the field tincture.

Charges may themselves be charged with semy charges (e.g., a bordure mullety).  In those cases, the semy charges are not cut off at the edges, but are always whole.

Semy charges may only themselves be charged if the tertiary charges remain identifiable; even then, the usage is deemed a step from period practice.

The illustration is semy of roundels.  Semy fields may always simply be blazoned “semy of [charges]”, but some charges have special terms when semy.  “Crusilly” is semy of crosses crosslet; “semy-de-lys” is semy of fleurs-de-lys; “goutty” is semy of gouts.  In like manner, “bezanty” is semy of bezants, “billety” is of billets, “mullety” is of mullets, &c.

Astra Christiana Benedict bears:  Per fess azure mullety of eight points Or and purpure crusilly Or.

Gwenlliana Clutterbooke bears:  Gules semy of open books Or.

Marie de Lyon bears:  Or semy of suns azure.

Kosa Korotkaia bears:  Argent semy of fish gules.

Nicolas de Beaumont bears:  Azure semy of garbs Or.

Schnecke issuant from base (Period)

A schnecke is a highly stylized charge from German heraldry, consisting of a tapering line spiraling inward from a point on the shield’s edge to its center.  The term literally translates as “snail”, as its curve resembles that of the snail’s shell; in French blazon, it’s termed un gyron gironnant, “a spiraling gyron”.

The schnecke is a period charge, found in the arms of von Rordorf, 1605 [Siebmacher 198].  We have no period examples of its being charged, or used with other charges on the field; therefore, the use of a schnecke with secondary charges is considered a step from period practice, as is its use with tertiary charges.

The point at which the schnecke enters the shield should be blazoned; whether it spirals deasil or widdershins is left to the artist.  The illustration shows a schnecke issuant from base.

Schnecke issuant from base maintaining on its outer swirl three schneckes (Period)

An early-period variation on the schnecke depicts it with three smaller schneckes issuant from its outer curve.  This form is found in the arms of Casteleynsche or Kestelinge, c.1370 [Gelre 110v], and appears to be unique to those arms.

For related charges, see gurges.

Peter Schneck bears:  Sable, a schnecke issuant from dexter chief argent.

Leocadia de Bilbao bears:  Argent, issuant from base a schnecke azure.

Marie de Blois bears as a badge:  Or, a schnecke issuant from sinister base maintaining on the outer swirl three schneckes sable.

Roundel (Period)

A roundel is an ancient heraldic charge, consisting of a simple circular shape.  Its use dates from the earliest heraldic records:  bezants are found in the canting arms of Biset, c.1244 [Asp2 222].

Roundels of different tinctures have special names in blazon:  A roundel Or may be termed a “bezant”; a roundel argent, a “plate”; gules, a “torteau”; vert, a “pomme”; sable, a “gunstone”, “pellet”, or “ogress”; azure, a “hurt”; purpure, a “golpe”.  The use of these special names is discretionary.  Note that only “bezant”, “plate”, “torteau” and “pellet” have been found in period blazons.

Also included in the roundel family is the “fountain“, a roundel barry wavy azure and argent.  A Society-specific variant is the “t’ai-ch’i”, a roundel per fess embowed-counterembowed argent and sable, charged with two counterchanged roundels.  As a non-European artistic motif, the t’ai-ch’i is not currently registerable; those already registered are deemed a step from period practice.

T’ai-ch’i (Disallowed)

Roundel echancré (Disallowed)

Roundels with complex edges (e.g., the “roundel echancré”, with three semi-circular notches; the “roundel embattled”; &c) have been registered in the past; but their use has been disallowed, pending evidence of period use.

The roundel is considered a shape upon which arms may be borne; thus, like the lozenge and escutcheon, when used as a fieldless badge it must not itself be charged.  See also astrolabe, bowl (dish), egg, labyrinth, moon, shield, sphere, yarn.

The Exchequer bears:  Azure, a pale checky gules and argent between six bezants in pale three and three.

Alewijn van Zeebrouck bears:  Sable, three roundels argent.

Nigel the Byzantine bears:  Purpure bezanty and a bordure Or.

Duncan of Blackrock bears:  Per fess and per bend sinister argent and vert, two pellets in bend.

Marius del Raut bears:  Per chevron ermine and sable, three roundels counterchanged.

Ynir Cadwallen bears:  Azure, a roundel echancré and in base a bar Or.

Morgan ap Llewellan Peregrine bears:  Sable, a t’ai-ch’i, the line of division forming a hawk’s head erect, voided, orbed argent.