Variations of ordinaries

Variations of ordinaries

In heraldry, in addition to the variations of the line that can be applied to both ordinaries and the field, there are some variations of ordinaries that can only be applied to them.

The arms of Champagne show cotices "potented and counter potented," while [http://www.whitelionsociety.org.uk/Slidesandblazon/Slide71.gifthe cotises of Timothy Hugh Stewart Duke] have "upper edges in the form of the upper rim of a ducal coronet."

The Armorial de Gelre shows Bernard v.d. Wilten as bearing a "fasce palissée" (similar to a fess embattled with long merlons and the ends rounded).

South African President Frederick de Klerk's arms contain "a fess the upper edge per chevron embowed and the lower edge embowed". [http://www.geocities.com/heraldrysa/1-famg2.htm]

The arms of the 89th Cavalry Regiment show "an elongated inverted pile". [http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Cav/89CavalryRegiment.htm]

An ordinary which appears to have a circular form in the middle is described as "nowy," while an ordinary appearing to have a square form is called "quadrate"; these can only be applied to certain ordinaries, including the cross, the pale, and the fess, but not, for example, a bordure, or chevron. The saltire quadrate has the square form "arraswise", or turned on its point.

An ordinary (often a cross) can be "facetted". [http://www.heraldica.org/shell/illustr.pl?105]

The term "embowed" is almost invariably applied to the chevron; this means that the upper two lines defining the chevron are concave, and the bottom two lines follow in parallel.

An ordinary "rompu" is "broken" in some way, though the form of the breaking may vary considerably and often must be further described to avoid confusion. An example is the chevronels rompu in the arms of Danzé, Loir et Cher, France. A "bend rompu arraswise" of an unusual form can be found in the arms of the 99th Air Base Wing of the United States Air Force. [http://www.au.af.mil/au/afhra/wwwroot/rso/wings_groups_pages/0099abwn.php] "Rompu" should be distinguished from "fracted". The arms of the Roossenekal Local Area Committee are "Per chevron Gules and Azure, a chevron fracted and embattled to chief Or, between in chief a rose Argent, barbed and seeded, and in base a cross fleuretty, Or". The form of the "fracting" can be specified.

An ordinary "affaissée", in French heraldry, is wavy in the form of a depression in its middle.

The chevron "écimé" has the top "blunted"; i.e. squared off rather than meeting in a point. The chevron "disjointed" or "disjoined" has the central, pointed portion missing. [http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Regt/106Regiment.htm] The chevron "éclaté" has each end with roughly-made points or spikes on it. [http://www.heraldiek-ngv.nl/Wapenkaarten/wp-ngv-wapenkaart-nr-08.htm]

When an ordinary is shown higher than what would be its regular position in the field, it is called "enhanced". When depicted lower, it is described as "debased" or "abased." These are to be distinguished from ordinaries "in chief" (in the chief of the field) or "in base".


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ordinary (heraldry) — Shield Field Supporter Supporter Motto (Scotland) Cres …   Wikipedia

  • Line (heraldry) — EngrailedA chief enarched indented throughout in the arms of SawbridgeworthBretesséA fess wavy in the arms of Welwyn HatfieldNebulyA chief embattled in the arms of LetchworthIndented The lines of partition used to divide and vary fields and… …   Wikipedia

  • Heraldry — The German Hyghalmen Roll was made in the late fifteenth century and illustrates the German practice of repeating themes from the arms in the crest. (See Roll of arms) Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning …   Wikipedia

  • Variation of the field — In heraldry, variations of the field are any of a number of ways that a field (or a charge) may be covered with a pattern, rather than a flat tincture or a simple division of the field. Contents 1 Patterning with ordinaries and subordinaries 1.1… …   Wikipedia

  • Chief (heraldry) — The shield above depicts a red chief placed on a silver shield, and its blazon is Argent, a chief gules. In heraldic blazon, a chief is a charge on a coat of arms that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the top edge of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Economic Affairs — ▪ 2006 Introduction In 2005 rising U.S. deficits, tight monetary policies, and higher oil prices triggered by hurricane damage in the Gulf of Mexico were moderating influences on the world economy and on U.S. stock markets, but some other… …   Universalium

  • bicycle — bicyclist, bicycler, n. /buy si keuhl, sik euhl, suy keuhl/, n., v., bicycled, bicycling. n. 1. a vehicle with two wheels in tandem, usually propelled by pedals connected to the rear wheel by a chain, and having handlebars for steering and a… …   Universalium

  • Danish heraldry — has its roots in medieval times when coats of arms first appeared in Europe. Danish heraldry is a branch of the German Nordic heraldic tradition. Contents 1 Terminology 1.1 Tinctures 1.2 Charges 2 …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of Scotland — The Saltire redirects here. For other uses, see Saltire. See also: Royal Standard of Scotland Flag of Scotland Name Saint Andrew s Cross The Saltire Use …   Wikipedia

  • Celtic Rite — The term Celtic Rite is generally, but rather indefinitely, applied to the various rites used in Great Britain, Ireland, perhaps in Brittany, and sporadically in Northern Iberia, and in the monasteries which resulted from the Irish missions of St …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”