Working Out The Meanings Of Coats Of Arms

For centuries families and nations have used coats of arms as ways to describe themselves and what they stand for. Today, many people like to look back on their coats of arms and use them as part of family history or to learn more about their heritage. When interpreting the symbols of heraldry, colors, animals, and symbols all have mean. Here are some of the more common elements in many coats of arms.

Colors are used in coats of arms as background or as a part of a motif of two or more colors. Each color has a definite meaning. Gold stands for generosity and silver or white indicates peace and sincerity. Blue is the color of truth and loyalty and green symbolizes hope and joy. Colors like red and maroon are warrior colors. Red represents military strength and maroon signifies patience and victory in battle. Purple is the color of royal majesty and justice, and orange represents noble ambition.

Coats of arms quite frequently depict animals in them. Most of the times it is lion, especially in the royal and national crests. A lion standing on hind legs depicts resolute valor. If the lion is heraldic understand that is shows bravery, might and valor.

Another much-portrayed animal is the eagle. The great Roman Empire used this insignia, and today it represents the United States. The Eagle represents a noble nature, strength, and bravery. With wings outspread it indicates protection. Two-headed eagles indicate a joining of two forces.

Other animals include boar and the bull

or bravery and valor; the cat, which indicates liberty and vigilance; the rooster means perseverance and courage; the dolphin means swiftness, charity, diligence, and love; the dragon is a valiant defender; a fish means a generous and true mind, full of virtue; the ram indicates authority; and the serpent represents wisdom. Even the unicorn is used to indicate extreme courage and virtue.

Plants in many coats of arms also have definite meanings just like animals and colors. For instance, the shamrock represents continuity and a sheaf of wheat stands for a harvest of hopes. The most common plant used on coats of arms is the rose that signifies hope, happiness, elegance and beauty. Laurel leaves are signs of victory, and the lily stands for purity.

The oak tree is a symbol of antiquity, strength, continuous growth and fertility. The leaves and nuts of the oak tree also indicate different things. The acorn represents strength and antiquity.

Besides the animals, plants and colors that are highly symbolic weapons and armor are also used they speak out more clearly. Hands or arms held in arm indicate leadership. Helmet is symbolic of strength, invulnerability and wisdom. The axe stands for military duty, arrow for battle readiness, hammer for honor and dagger depicts justice while a shakebolt shows victory. The spear and spike aptly describe a valiant warrior.



By: Jazmin Begbie