Column

Column (Period)

Obelisk (Accepted)

A column is a stone pillar, used as a structural support in a building. The default column is that found in Greco-Roman architecture; the exact type may be left to the artist, or it may be specified, e.g., an “Ionic column” or a “Doric column”. These are guides to the artist; the heraldic difference is negligible. The column is a period charge, used in Italy in the canting arms of Colonna, 1413 [Conz.Const. xli]; it is palewise by default.

Society armory has a similar charge, the “obelisk”, a four-sided stone stele terminating in a pyramid; the ancient Egyptians used it as a commemorative monument. It too is palewise by default.

For related charges, see zule. See also edifice.

The Canton of the Rising Stone bears: Argent, on a pile inverted azure an obelisk argent, overall a laurel wreath and a bordure counterchanged.

Octavia Columella bears: Per pale gules and argent, two columns counterchanged.

Adam ben Avram bears: Per pale vert and azure, a column Or.

Church

Church (Period)

A church is an edifice wherein organized worship services are held. It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms (Italian chiesa) of dala Giexia, mid-15^th C. [Triv 161]. There is wide variation in the depiction of churches, as with all edifices in heraldry, but most seem to be drawn with steeples (or bell towers), with the length of the church fesswise.

Mosque (Accepted)

Grecian temple (Accepted)

Related to the church is the “mosque”, dedicated to Moslem worship. It’s characterized by its domed prayer hall and at least one minaret (which, for heraldic purposes, may be said to be its defining feature). Though no examples have been found in medieval armory, the mosque is accepted for Society use.

Finally, there is the “temple”, more fully blazoned a “Grecian temple”: a pillared edifice with steps and a triangular roof, rather like a simplified rendering of the Parthenon. It too, though yet unattested in medieval armory, is accepted for Society use.

Piers Blackmonster bears: Per chevron argent and sable, two griffins sejant respectant and a church counterchanged.

‘Afra’ bint Tamir al-Sahrahwayyiah bears: Vert, a fess sable fimbriated surmounted by a domed mosque of one minaret, in canton a decrescent Or.

Arenvald Kief av Kiersted bears as a badge: On a temple Or a Thor’s hammer gules.

Castle

Castle (Period)

A castle is a mighty edifice, a fortress or stronghold, generally made of stone. It is an ancient charge, found in the canting arms of the Kings of Castile, c.1244 [Asp2 213]. In early heraldry, no distinction was drawn between the castle and the tower; Society heraldry distinguishes between the two forms for the artist’s sake, but grants no difference.

The typical castle is of two towers, joined by an embattled wall with a gate; a “castle triple-towered” has a third tower issuant from the joining wall. The gate is usually shown closed, but this is an artistic detail; some early Society blazons use the term “friendly castle” to denote one with an open gate. (The term is no longer used; the gate is now left to the artist.)

The castle is sometimes blazoned a “fortress” or a “citadel”, especially for canting purposes. For related charges, see bridge.

The Baron of Ben Dunfirth bears: Barry wavy argent and sable, a castle within a laurel wreath Or.

David of Castlewhyte bears: Per chevron gules and sable, three castles argent.

Harold Breakstone bears: Or, a castle triple-towered sable, pennons flotant to sinister vert.

Bridge

Bridge throughout of three spans (Period)

Twin-towered bridge of a single arch (Accepted)

A bridge is an edifice, built to carry traffic over a river, gorge, or the like. The most common depiction in medieval armory showed a stonework bridge, drawn throughout, with three or more arches or spans; it was usually drawn with water flowing beneath it as well. The illustration is taken from the canting arms of Trowbridge, mid-16^th C. [Bedingfeld 58].

In Society armory, the default bridge is not throughout, but terminates with a tower at either end (and frequently with towers between arches); moreover, the number of arches must be explicitly blazoned. A common Society form has but a single arch, as in the illustration; this depiction is considered negligibly different from a castle. Difference is granted between a castle and a bridge drawn in the period style (i.e., throughout, with multiple arches).

Wooden boardwalk (Period)

Footbridge (Period)

Period armory also has some examples of smaller bridges, intended to be footbridges: e.g., the wooden boardwalk, drawn throughout and supported by scaffolding, in the canting arms (German Steg) of Steger zu Ladendorff, 1605 [Siebmacher 39]; or the stepped stone footbridge, complete with handrails, in the canting arms (Italian ponte) of Ponte, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 273:165].

Arch

Arch (Period)

Triumphal arch (Acceptable)

An arch is an edifice consisting of a stone semi-circle set atop pillars. It is a period charge, found in the canting arms of Arches, c.1295 [ANA2 11]. The default form is with a single arch, as in the illustration, but double and triple arches are also possible: the double arch supported by three pillars, the triple arch atop four pillars, &c.

In Society armory, an “arch stooped” has the pillars resting on a plinth; a “pointed arch” has an ogive-shaped archway. Society armory also has the “triumphal arch”, a monument erected by the Imperial Romans. For related charges, see dolmen, torii.

The Ministry of Arts & Sciences bears: Azure, a candle enflamed within an arch stooped argent.

Iestyn o’r Wlad Bell bears: Barry and per pale azure and Or, a triangle argent masoned sable within an arch argent.

Mathghamhain MacCionaoith bears as a badge: Azure, in pale a triumphal arch embattled to chief and a wolf’s head erased and sinister-facing argent.

Simon de Okewode bears: Or, a pointed arch sable between three oak leaves vert.

Altar

Altar (Period)

An altar is a stone block or pillar topped with a flame. The flame, though part of the definition of the charge, is nonetheless sometimes specified: e.g., “an altar flammant”. The heraldic altar appears to represent a Pagan altar, rather than the Christian or Jewish altars [Franklyn 7]; it’s found in the arms of Tendryngg, 1340 [DBA3 357]. See also edifice.

Arthur Glendower bears: Or, between two lions combatant azure an altar sable flammant gules.

Una MacRobert bears: Vert, an altar argent between three vols Or.

Asa Gormsdottir bears: Per chevron sable and gules, four bezants and an altar argent enflamed Or.

Mistholme