Heraldry & Armorial Display

Search forms for the SCA Armorial, and the online SCA Ordinary.

Provides examples of historical heraldry, with an alphabetic al index of heraldic elements.

The many ways you can display your heraldry, looking at period forms, and discussing doing the same type of things in the SCA.

Medieval examples of banners, seals, armory in manuscript s, architectu ral features, stained glass, tiles, effigies, brasses, and coinage featuring heraldry.

A mailing list for Atlantian heralds.

There is Good Art. There is Heraldic Art. And there is Good Heraldic Art. Modern notions of Art – its simplicity and impressiveness, symmetry and balance, composition, and colour - are not necessarily medieval notions of Art. Heraldic Art must be recognizable (across the field and on a flapping banner). The Medieval Notion of Symmetry is one form of Balance in Art. The Rule of Tincture is, by and large, Good Art (with some reservations). A consulting herald can try to guide a client to both something he/she likes and something that exhibits good heraldic art ... but it won't always be easy.

"Shield and Weapon Weights," "In Persona Storytelling," "Period Sources for Story Telling," "Concerning Heraldic Devices and Arms," "Notes on Islamic Clothing and Weapons," "To Tie a Turban," "The Perfect Armor," "The Perfect Armor Improved," and "Closed Form Heater: A Voice from A.S. IV."

Heraldry as a system has been copiously written about in a series of works extending from the 15th century until now and the subject has therefore been well examined from the scientific point of view. From its artistic side, on the other hand, it appears not to have attracted that amount of attention which the interesting and decorative character of the subject might have been expected to secure. Except for short incidental references in general works on heraldry and in papers read to certain learned and artistic societies, its decorative aspect has been treated as of comparatively minor importance. Many of those who have desired to practise the art have had to approach it anew by independent study and to re-discover by patient research the examples of good work on which to base their own an excellent method but susceptible of simplification.

How to decorate a modern-loo king space for an SCA event, including the use of banners, table settings, and hiding modern items.

A badge is a distinctiv e device or emblem assumed as a mark of recognitio n by an individual or family and often worn as a symbol of loyalty and allegiance .

This article compiles the notes and methods employed to create some heraldic bed hangings to enhance the aesthetics and functional ity of my medieval camping bed.

Heraldry is both a science and an art form. Developing out of the emblems and insignia born upon shields and banners during battle, heralrdy as a profession encompasses not only the devising, granting, and blazoning of arms, but also the tracing of genealogies, and determining and ruling on questions of rank or protocol. This dictionary, however, is only concerned with the first of these aspects of heraldry.

A quick and fun little project to make your best friend a handsome coat to wear to events. It serves the dual purpose of adding to the atmosphere and having the additional benefit of making your pup's ownership easily identifiab le - so you'd be best served by putting one on only your best trained hounds!

These pictures were taken at The Cloisters Museum, the (other) medieval wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Originally I intended the project as a catalogue of all the heraldry at the Cloisters for purposes of art history research, but I think the page serves better as a primer on heraldic display. This is not a comprehensive catalog of all heraldry found at the Cloisters, but the variety of ways that heraldry is put on "stuff" is fascinating.

Also available at http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/23186

These guidelines are designed to function as a complement the SCA rules. They are a list of practices to avoid if you want to design medieval armory. The things that they advise against were all done in medieval heraldry, but not very often.

An international guild of heraldic artists, craftsmen and designers. This website is designed to promote the work of the craft membership and raise public awareness to the beauty of their creativity.

A set of images that can be viewed and printed, and then traced directly onto submission forms for devices and badges.