Understanding Heraldry: Symbols, Armory, and Shield Shapes
Classified in Arts and Humanities
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The Language of Heraldry Explained
The heraldic language encompasses all the symbolism and its composition to achieve full visual expressions of content and meaning. The base element of this language is the shield. It is built from symbols and colors within the shield, assembled according to specific purposes, principles, and rules.
These rules and the composition of symbols and colors form a visual grammar. When properly applied, this grammar defines the language of heraldry, organizing a language syntax where heraldic terms structure a visual language to define everything incorporated into armories.
What is an Armory?
An armory is the combination of the shield together with its exterior decorations. The shield is the basic concept around which the definition of armories revolves. The primary function of the shield, besides defense, was the identification of combatants. Over time, the shield ceased to have this exclusive character, and armories began to serve as identification marks for individuals, families, cities, corporations, and countries.
Institutional Armorials
Institutional armorials are collections of weapons grouped as belonging to institutions such as orders of knighthood, guilds, fraternities, and schools.
Understanding Cadency
Cadency marks are pieces placed on the shield to distinguish and differentiate between lines of lineage, such as secondary lines and spurious lines, from legitimate lines. The most frequent cadency marks are the lambel, martlet, mullet (star), annulet, and fleur-de-lis.
Five Natural Shapes Found on Shields
- Astros: The sun, moon, stars...
- The Elements: Earth, Water, Air...
- The Fish: Dolphin
- The Animals: Lions, Wolves...
- The Birds: Eagle, Martlet...
What is the Field of a Shield?
The field of the shield is the space or surface on which pieces, figures, partitions, brisures, and enamel are painted and placed. It is the most valuable element of arms. The interpretation of the field of the shield follows two directions: vertical (from the Head to the Point) and horizontal (from right to left).