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.

Enfield rampant (Accepted)

The enfield is a chimerical monster, with the body of a greyhound, the head of a fox, the forelimbs of an eagle, and the hindquarters and tail of a wolf.  It’s been described as “a relative latecomer” to the heraldic scene [Dennys 156]; though no period examples of the enfield have yet been found, its form is in keeping with other monsters of the Tudor era.  The enfield is thus accepted for Society use.

Some etymological arguments suggest that the enfield and the alphyn are both variants of the same non-heraldic monster.

The enfield doesn’t seem to have a default posture; the illustration shows an enfield rampant.

Elayne Greybeard the Eclectic bears:  Vert, an enfield rampant guardant to sinister Or.

Lucrezia Lorenz bears:  Sable, an enfield passant to sinister Or.

Tavotai Koghunnoxaiyin bears:  Per fess Or and gules, an enfield rampant counterchanged.

Dragon (Period)

Wyvern (Period)

The dragon is a great reptilian monster with spikes, barbs, bat-wings, and taloned feet.  It is sometimes blazoned a “wyrm”, especially for the sake of a cant.  A dragon “segreant” is rampant, wings addorsed; this is its default posture.

The dragon’s depiction differed over the centuries, or between countries.  The earliest heraldic dragons, for instance, had feathered wings.  The dragon’s tail was blunt throughout our period; the barbs at the end were not added until the 18^th Century.  (This is considered artistic license, and many Society dragons have barbed tails.)

More important is the number of legs.  The Society, following current British usage, defines a “dragon” as having four legs.  The four-legged dragon had been a badge of North Wales c.1400; with the ascension of the Tudors, the four-legged dragon became one of England’s supporters [Dennys 191].  However, the older form of dragon had only two legs; it dates back at least to 1300, in the arms of Fulbourne [ANA2 493].  British heraldry now blazons the two-legged form a “wyvern” (Continental heralds still call it a “dragon”), and treats it as a variant of type.  The wyvern’s default posture is variously blazoned “statant” or “sejant”:  for wyverns, the two postures are deemed equivalent.  At one point, the Society granted no difference between the four-legged dragon and the two-legged wyvern; the current policy now grants difference for type between these two.

East Asian dragon passant (SFPP)

Dûn dragon (Disallowed)

There are other variations of the dragon.  The “hydra” is a multi-headed dragon; classically described with nine heads, the 16^th Century heraldic form has as few as three [de Bara 85, 143].  (The number of heads should be blazoned.)  The “East Asian dragon” is wingless, and drawn in a Chinese or Japanese stylization (and sometimes specifically blazoned as “Chinese” or “Japanese”); it’s permitted in Society armory, with its use deemed a step from period practice.  Finally, the “Dûn dragon” is a Society invention, with no wings, two horns, long spindly limbs, and a dopy grin; it is defined in the arms of the Shire of Anlieplic Dûn.  This form is no longer used save for the Shire’s armory.

Wyverns displayed are considered a step from period practice; dragons displayed are no longer permitted.  For related charges, see amphisbaena, cockatrice, griffin, lion-dragon, naga, Norse beasts, orm, pithon.

The King of the Middle bears:  Argent, a pale gules, overall a dragon passant vert, in chief an ancient crown Or within a laurel wreath proper.

The Baron of Wyvernwoode bears:  Vert, a wyvern passant argent, winged and bellied within a laurel wreath Or.

The Shire of Anlieplic Dûn bears:  Per pale sable and argent, a laurel wreath between two Dûn dragons combattant counterchanged.

Éowyn Amberdrake bears:  Azure, in pale three dragons passant Or.

Katrina Pietroff bears:  Azure, a seven-headed hydra statant argent.

Joseph the Good bears as a badge:  Gules, a Japanese dragon passant Or.

Cockatrice (Period)

Basilisk erect (Period)

The cockatrice is an heraldic monster, generally depicted as a wyvern with the head of a cock.  It was reputedly hatched from a cock’s egg, and was able to kill with a glance.  It’s a period charge, found in the arms of Baumberg, c.1340 [Zurich 495].  As with the wyvern, early heraldry might depict the cockatrice with feathered wings instead of bat’s wings.

The cockatrice has often been confused in heraldic literature with the “basilisk”; this monster, shown in classical Greek art wearing a crown, differs in heraldic art only by the addition of a dragon’s head on the end of the tail.  The basilisk is occasionally blazoned an “amphysian cockatrice” for that reason.  (Needless to say, since the crown is a reserved charge in the Society, Society heraldry doesn’t use the Greek definition.)  By whatever name, the basilisk was the badge of Cursson, c.1513 [Walden 203].

The default posture for both the cockatrice and the basilisk is statant, with wings addorsed.  However, unlike the dragon or the wyvern, the cockatrice was also found displayed in period, as in the arms of Buggin, 1578 [Dennys 186]. The illustrations show a cockatrice statant and a basilisk erect.

Genevieve de Lyonesse bears:  Per saltire azure and sable, a cockatrice statant argent.

Cristoff Gockerhan von Loch bears:  Gyronny azure and argent, a cockatrice displayed gules.

Theodulf of Borogrove bears:  Argent, an amphisian cockatrice gules within a bordure nebuly sable.

Irene of Kensington bears:  Vert, a basilisk statant, wings addorsed argent.

This is a class of monsters which, like the chimera, are assembled from pieces of other beasts or monsters.  A great many of the classic monsters of heraldry may be described in this manner: e.g., the griffin, with the forequarters of an eagle and the hindquarters of a lion.  But the term usually denotes those monsters with no independent history.  They are thus usually blazoned by parts, e.g., “A monster with the forequarters of a dragon, hindquarters of a lion”, or the “cock with the head of a goat” in the arms of von Kockorsch, 1605 [Siebmacher 74].

There are exceptions, such as the Hrassvelg monster, which have been given special names; but this is no longer done, out of pity for the artists.

The Baron of Lions Gate bears as a badge:  A monster rampant with the body of a lion sable and the head and tail of an alligator argent. [A “lionsgator”.]

Siobhán Nic Bhloscaidh bears:  Per fess purpure and sable, a boar-headed horse with lion’s forelegs rampant Or.

Mandrigal of Mu bears:  Gules, a monster couchant with the forequarters of a domestic cat and the wings and hindquarters of a dragon Or.

Chimera statant (Period)

Schimäre rampant (Accepted)

The chimera, or chimaera, is a monster from Greek myth, combining parts of a lion, a goat, and a dragon.  No two authors agree, however, in exactly which parts go where.  The standard heraldic form, dating from 1572 [Bossewell II.66], comprises a lion’s body, a dragon’s tail, and the heads of a lion, a goat, and a dragon sprouting from the shoulders; this is the default Society chimera.  The illustration shows this chimera statant.  (Sometimes the dragon’s head was shown at the end of the tail, instead of the shoulders.)

A more classical form, depicted on ancient Greek urns, has a lion’s head and body, dragon’s tail, and a goat’s head grafted to the small of the back; this form is blazoned as a “Greek chimera” in Society armory.

Yet another form, more common in German heraldry, has a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a dragon’s tail; this form may also be shown with the face and breast of a woman [Volborth 47].  This form is blazoned a “schimäre” or “German chimera” in Society armory.  The illustration shows a schimäre rampant.

Maximilian Gartenheit of Heatherwyne bears:  Per fess argent and gules, a chimera passant vert.

Lyonnete du Soleil bears as a badge:  Azure, a Greek chimera statant to sinister Or within a bordure lozengy sable and argent.

Kevin Burnett bears:  Sable, a schimäre rampant contourny argent, a base rayonny ermine.

Chatloup passant (Period)

The chatloup is a monster with the face of a cat, the body of a wolf, and the serrated horns of an antelope.  It was also called a “calopus”, “catwolf,” or “catalope” [Dennys 153].  It doesn’t seem to have a default posture; the illustration shows a chatloup passant, based on the canting crest of Cathorne, 1553 [Gwynn-Jones 76].

Leona Bones bears:  Quarterly purpure and sable, a chatloup rampant blowing a straight trumpet and in chief two pairs of two swords in saltire argent.

Volu-Ingibiorg bears:  Azure, a chatloup salient and a dexter tierce Or.

Ysoria de Brai bears as a badge:  A chatloup rampant argent.

Centaur passant (Period)

Leonine sagittary passant drawing a bow (Period)

The centaur is a monster from Greek myth, with the body and legs of a horse and the torso, arms and head of a human.  Male and female centaurs are found in Society heraldry; blazons of posture (e.g., “passant”) refer to the equine portion, not the human.

Nearly all of the period heraldic examples of the centaur show it with a bow and arrow, as in the arms of Bardi, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 278:81], or in the crest of Mackonele of the Yles, c.1601 [Bedingfeld 147].  Such cases may also be blazoned a “sagittary” or “sagittarius”.  When blazoned “proper”, the centaur has a Caucasian human torso and a brown horse’s body.

A “leonine-centaur” (or, with a bow, a “leonine-sagittary”) has the body of a lion, instead of a horse; it’s found in the attributed arms of King Stephen of England, c.1097 [Dennys 119].

The illustrations show a centaur passant and a leonine-sagittary passant drawing a bow.

Chuluun the Scribe bears:  Gules, two sagittaries salient addorsed Or.

Tatiana Aleksandrovna bears:  Or, a female centaur passant within a bordure gules.

Piers of Malmesbury bears:  Per pale gules and azure, in pale two leonine sagittaries passant argent.

Camelopard trippant (Period)

The camelopard, or cameleopard, was the medieval name for the beast we call a “giraffe”.  It was considered a monster, a hybrid of a camel and a leopard.  The camelopard was the badge of Sir Henry Crispe, 1553 [Siddons II.2 85]; Bossewell [II.53] described the creature in 1572, though judging from his illustration, he was working from hearsay.

The creature was also called a “camelopardel” in medieval times; 18^th Century writers considered the camelopardel a distinct creature, a camelopard with swept-back horns.  No such distinction was made in period, however; and no difference is granted in Society heraldry between them.

The camelopard seems to have neither a proper coloration nor a default posture; the illustration shows a camelopard trippant (i.e., passant).

Ingirídr Hikri Fridriksdottír bears:  Argent, a cameleopard statant purpure.

Camille Lyon bears:  Gules, a cameleopard rampant argent spotted sable.

Xanthippe Ouranina bears:  Vert, two camelopards salient reguardant, necks crossed in saltire Or pellety.

Calygreyhound rampant guardant (Period)

This monster has a cat’s face, a tufted body and tail, eagle’s forelegs, and frond-like horns.  It is period, dating from the mid-15^th Century, as a badge of the de Veres, Earls of Oxford [Dennys 153].

The calygreyhound does not appear to have a default posture; the illustration shows a calygreyhound rampant guardant.

The Baron of Rivenoak bears:  Quarterly Or and argent, a calygreyhound rampant to sinister between three laurel wreaths sable.

Arin Sturrock of Appin bears:  Bendy of six argent and azure, a calygreyhound rampant guardant Or.

Eowyn Feemaister bears:  Or, two calygreyhounds combattant guardant sable.