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This is my personal shield which is based on an adaptation of
the Guyon family shield from northern France. I have retained all the
elements of the original family shield but I have chosen to add elements
to personalize the heraldic device.
The bend sinister is expanded in width to accommodate the checker
board configuration symbolic of my relationship with the Historic
Entertainment's stunt team.
The most notable change is the addition of a crest I designed to
symbolize my wife. This is placed on top of my original crest (corniere) in ermine
with a rampant dragon atop a pile of coins.
Each element, in heraldry, represents:
BUCK (STAG):
The Stag is the male deer; the male of the hind. As an emblem it is
indicative of life (fabled to live over 1000 years), symbol of wisdom,
regeneration and growth, and virility. Because its antlers resemble
branches, the Stag has been associated with the 'Tree of Life' and
because of the way it renews its antlers, it is used as a symbol of
regeneration. During the Middle Ages, the Stag was often shown with a
crucifix between its horns where, in Christianity, it represented purity
and solitude and was the enemy of Satan, the serpent. The Celts
believed the Stag guided souls through the darkness (the world for
departed souls). The stag also was associated with warriors and hunting
in Celtic culture and in Greco-Roman mythology where it was an animal
sacred to Artemis. In Buddhism, the golden stag represents knowledge
and the Chinese regard it as a symbol of virility and happiness.
Heraldic writers say of the Stag: "One who will not fight unless
provoked, a lover of music and harmony who well foresees his times and
opportunities". The Vikings used the stag as a symbol of royal status
and the Romans used it as an icon of masculine values.
CASTLE (tower, chateau):
The emblem of grandeur and society, and has been granted sometimes to
one who has faithfully held one for his king, or who has captured one by
force or strategy. The castle of Western Europe was a Norman creation,
stemming from the 10th and 11th-century 'Norman Mound' castles. A
castle that became the model for many English and Norman castles was the
formidable castle built at Arques in Normandy by Henry I of England. In
the Middle East the Crusaders developed great castles with double
circuits of curving outer walls and towers or turrets to overlook all
sections of the wall. Early in the 13th century the medieval castle, a
mixture of Norman, English, and Byzantine elements was born.
BLUE OR AZURE:
Bright blue, the colour of an eastern sky, derived from the Arabic 'lazura';
denotes truth and loyalty.
GREEN OR VERT (Fr. sinople):
The French are said to have called it Sinople, from a town in Asia Minor
(Sinope) from which were brought the best materials for dyeing green, or
silks and stuffs of a brilliant green colour; signifies hope, joy, and
loyalty in love.
BEND:
The Bend seems to have denomination from the French word Bender, which
signifies to stretch forth, because it is extended between those
opposite points of the shield. According to some armorists, it
represents a Ladder set aslope on this manner, to scale the walls of any
castle or City, and was bestowed on one of the first that mounted upon
the enemy’s walls. The bend is a bearing of high honour and to some it
represents the scarf or shield suspender of a knight commander
signifying defence or protection, granted to those who have
distinguished themselves as commanders.
DRAGON:
Its head is that of a serpent, with a forked tongue and ears. The body
is that of a lion, but it is represented scaled, and the large wings are
webbed and pointed, and resemble those of a bat. The legs are also
scaled, and the feet are represented with webbed talons. The dragon is
the most valiant of all living creatures because of his sharpness of
sight and therefore it symbolizes the defender of treasure and
worldliness. The Anglo-Saxon word "dragon" is derived from the Greek,
"to see clearly", hinting at the Dragon's gift of prophecy. Although
Dragons were often born out of destruction and chaos, the dragon to some
cultures was an emblem of good fortune & perfection. Found in many
cultures it became a symbol for volatility, the search for secret
knowledge, finding your way through all things, Alchemy, the elements,
eternal change, discovery of hidden treasures and the protector of all
you possess.
ERMINE:
The fur most frequently used in heraldry. It derives its name from the
Ermine or 'mus Armenicus' (so call from being found in the woods of
Armenia), a small white animal whose fur it is. The black spots are
supposed to represent the tails of ermines, sewed to the white fur for
its enrichment; a symbol of dignity. |