Shapes And Symbols

There is an enormous variety of geometric shapes available to the Herald, possibly because they are quite easy to draw!

Simple Shapes

Annulets, billet, cartouche, chevron, crescent, delf, escutcheon, fret, fusil, goutte, lozenge, octagon, icicle, mascle, mullet, roundel, rustre, saltorel, square, triangle

Shape Modifiers

Some of the shapes may be voided, pierced. The mascle can also be drawn ploye.

Up to 10 annulets may be drawn one within the other (i.e. as concentric circles), or interlaced; two annulets can also be drawn braced or conjunct; and single annulets can be formed of rope or of chain

The mullet may be drawn of N points where 'N' is 5 to 10, and some of those numbers are also available as either voided or interlaced.

Named Roundels

Roundels are such common charges that each colour roundel has its own special name, so it is an error if these are given a colour. These are:

Bezant, golpe, guze, hurt, orange, pellet, plate, pomme, torteau

The matching of name to heraldic tincture is left as an exercise for the reader.

The heraldic fountain is also available, being a roundel wavy azure and argent, not to be confused with the architectural feature of the same name.

Symbols

The following symbols are also availabe (but see also the category of Crosses).

Ankh, caduceus, chi-rho, compass rose, compass star, cornucopia, ermine spot, fasces, fleur-de-lys, labyrinth, nesselblatt, triskelion, triskele, Star of David, menorah, pentagram, pentacle, question mark, valknut

The menorah by default has 7 branches but you may also use a menorah of 9 branches, both versions may be enflamed of a different colour. The triskelion by default is a simple spiral, but can be armoured to appear as 3 armoured legs, as found in the arms of the Isle of Man, or alternatively formed of spirals. Finally, the nesselblatt is a stylised nettle leaf found in German heraldy.

Astronomical symbols are also available, using the form the astronomical character of the planet X where 'X' is one of Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Moon, Neptune, Pluto, Saturn, Sun, Uranus, Venus

And, similarly (and with some overlap) there are also alchemical symbols, using the form the alchemical symbol for Y where 'Y' is one of Earth, air, water, fire, salt, iron, sulphur, gold, iron, tin, silver.