A
Brief Description:
Coats
of Arms date to the early Middle Ages. In the early 12th century, helmets and
other armor began making it difficult to tell armed warriors apart. The
solution was for each knight or soldier to paint something personal on their
shield. These designs were important in battle, but they also functioned like
team uniforms when knights met in tournaments.
Over
time, shield emblem designs became enduring symbols of their owners, and of
their owners' families.
It became quite fashionable to have a "coat of
arms", so people hired artists to design them. The designs weren't just
used on shields. They were applied on tunics, saddle blankets, banners and
tapestries. They were duplicated in sculpture and architectural features. They
were used in signs and advertisements. They were carved into coins, jewelry
(e.g. signet rings) and the personalized stamps for sealing letters.
Soon,
Coats of Arms weren't just for soldiers! From about 1210 A.D., some priests are
known to have had them. The first women known to have had their own coat of
arms got them around 1220. Around 1230 towns and cities began having coats of
arms. Tradesmen and even peasants started using coats of arms around 1250. In
an era when few people could read or write, coats of arms made it easier for
people to recognize each other's marks.
Before you design your own coat of
arms, it'll be useful to look at a few traditional heraldic designs. Observe
the traditional design elements. What do you think they symbolized for the
people who chose to wear them? Below is a list of some elements you may want to
include in your designs.
Directions: Students will design their own coat
of Arms based on their own personalities by completing the following steps:
- Give your Coat of Arms a title
that has something to do with your name (full name, last name, middle
name, nickname)
- Divide your coat of arms into 4
sections, each section should have a symbol which represents the following
- Top Left corner- Draw a symbol that
represents your name or a special quality that you possess
- Top Right corner-Draw a symbol
which represents your birthplace, hometown or ethnicity
- Bottom Left corner-Draw a
symbol which represents a hobby or personal interest
- Bottom Right corner- Draw a
symbol which represents an issue which is important to you (political
issue, global issue, local issue, etc)
- At the bottom of the coat of
arms create a slogan which represents your personality. For example, the
Sullivan coat of arms slogan is “The Steady Hand of Victory!”
- Be sure to decorate your coat
of arms with symbols and colors which are appropriate to the message you
want to convey and are also visually interesting
- On the back of your coat of
arms include a brief 1-2 paragraph explanation of your coat of arms which
explains its symbolism
- In other words, what does each
choice you made in terms of symbols, slogan and colors represent about
you?
Rubric
Colors- Appropriate, varied and interesting = 50 pts (exceptional) 30-40 pts
(right on track) 0-20 pts (needs improvement)
|
Drawing of symbols- Neat and clear, no stray pencil marks= 50 pts
(exceptional) 30-40 pts (right on track) 0-20 pts (needs improvement)
|
Explanation of Coat of Arms- Clear and to the point, grammatically clear and
understandable= 50 pts (exceptional) 30-40 pts (right on track) 0-20 pts
(needs improvement)
|
Total= 150 pts
|
The
Language of Heraldry
Heraldic
Colors:
Yellow or
Gold - Generosity
White or
Silver - Peace & Sincerity
Black -
Constancy (& sometimes Grief)
Blue -
Loyalty & Truthfulness
Red -
Military Fortitude & Magnanimity
Green -
Hope, Joy & sometimes Loyalty
Purple -
Royal Majesty, Sovereignty & Justice
Heraldic
Animals:
Bear -
Protectiveness
Bee -
Industriousness
Camel -
Perseverance
Dog -
Loyalty
Double
Eagle &
Eagle - Leadership & Decisiveness
Dragon -
Defender of Treasure
Falcon or
Hawk - Eagerness
Fox -
Cleverness
Griffin
(part eagle, part lion) - Bravery
Horse -
Readiness to Serve
Lion -
Courage
Pelican -
Generosity & Devotion
Raven -
Constancy
Snake - Ambition
Stag, Elk
or Deer - Peace & Harmony
Tiger -
Fierceness & Valor
Unicorn -
Extreme courage
Wolf -
Constant Vigilance
Heraldic
Symbols:
Axe -
Dutiful
Bridge - (signifies a governor or magistrate)
Crescent -
Enlightenment
Crosses -
Christian sentiments
Crown -
Authority
Fire -
Zeal
Flaming
Heart -
Passion
Fleur-de-lis
- Purity (associated with France)
Hand -
Faith, Sincerity & Justice
Heart -
Sincerity
Horns &
Antlers - Fortitude
Lightning -
Decisiveness
Moon -
Serenity
Oyster
Shell - Traveler
Ring -
Fidelity
Scepter -
Justice
Star -
Nobility
Sun -
Glory
Sword -
Warlike
Tower or
Castle - Fortitude & Protectiveness
Common
Design Features (heraldic terminology):
Bend - a
diagonal stipe
Chevron -
an upside-down "V"
Chief - broad stripe across top of shield
Fess -
broad horizontal stripe through center
Pale -
broad vertical stripe through center
Passant -
an animal shown walking
Rampant -
an animal standing on hind legs
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