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Interest
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Animal
Blazonry
Positions of Animals and Monsters In period armory, beasts and monsters were drawn such that their main features were easily seen and identified, and this convention should continue to be used. To show their features to the best advantage a variety of "poses" or attitudes were adopted for beasts. Since the features of land-based beasts are different from those of water or air-based beasts, there are different attitudes for each category. One thing to note is that the default position for a beast or monster to be facing is to dexter (the viewer's left). The following list most of the known postures for beasts, though by no means is it comprehensive. Animal and Beast positioning
is broken into three categories Sea, Land, and Air. Each of these areas
covers the basic poses that are used in heraldry. It is in no way a complete
list of components. Categories not included are insects,reptiles,and amphibians
with all have poses that are unique to them.
Attitude Adjustments
Minor
Adjustments
Animals' Heads
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Fish are fairly simple to blazon. There are only four basic postures for a fish. However, there is one "fish" that is a bit different--the dolphin. Normally we think of a porpoise as a dolphin. In actuality, there is an heraldic dolphin that is classified as a "monster". The heraldic dolphin is blazoned the same way as any other fish, however, when drawn, they are depicted in a reverse "S-curve" shape.
| Hauriant | positioned vertically with heads rising upwards a common posture. |
| Urinant | positioned vertically with heads sinking downwards -a rare posture. |
| Erect | applies to any sea monster--the top half is essentially rampant and the bottom half is coiled into a loop. |
| Naiant | swimming fesswise -a common posture. |
| Embowed | applies to any fish that has its body arched as if it were leaping. Think of hauriant with the fish curved in an arc with the bend to the right. Sometimes it is emblazoned naiant embowed (period French) where the fish forms an "arch". |
| Statant | beast is standing still on all four legs--all legs should be visible. Less common than passant. |
| Sejant | beast is seated with forelegs down and together. Tail is up by default if the beast has a tail. |
| Passant | beast is walking (or running) with far foreleg raised and far hind leg moved slightly forward. A common posture for non-carnivorous beasts. |
| Salient | beast is leaping or jumping--forelegs off ground (forcene for horses). Rare in period. |
| Affronte | beast is facing viewer. The normal posture is sejant.Rare in period |
| Sejant Erect | beast is seated, but has forelegs off ground as if attacking. |
| Rampant | beast is standing upright on one hind leg (segreant for winged monsters) with forelegs outstretched as if attacking. A common posture for carnivorous beasts and monsters. |
| Dormant | beast is sleeping--essentially couchant with head down. If the beast has a tail it is down and coiled around the animal. Very rare in period. |
| Couchant | beast is lying on all fours with its head erect like the sphinx (lodged for deer). The tail curls under the body of the animal and emerges just ahead of the haunches then rises above the back. Appears to be rare in period, except for a few animals, such as the dog and the stag. |
| In its Vigilance | reserved for cranes, it is shown with head up and one leg raised grasping a rock. |
| In his Pride | reserved for peacocks, it is shown statant affronty with the tail feathers spread. |
| Striking | raptor in flight with head down and talons out stretched to grasp. In period armory, this was blazoned as rousant or trussing. May be enhanced with another bird (usually lying close fesswise) as "preying upon an X". |
| In her Piety | reserved for pelicans, the pelican is shown beak to breast with blood dropping to pelican chicks. |
| Close | wings are closed. A peacock close is blazoned pavonated. Close is a common attitude for "lesser" birds. Note: any raptor close will be blazoned as a falcon. An owl or bat close will be depicted affronty. |
| Statant | this posture is normally reserved for long-legged avians such as the heron and the crane. |
| Rising | wings are open, as if the bird is taking off. There are a variety of postures and wing positions associated with rising. In some cases the bird is seen from the side. In other cases it is seen from the front. The phoenix is always blazoned as rising and always seems to be displayed affronty. Depending on the bird the head could be up or down. |
| Addorsed | both wings are behind the bird's head in a natural posture. |
| Displayed | wings outstretched to either side of the avian. When the wings are displayed or addorsed, there are two ways that they may be shown: elevated--with the wing tips up inverted--with wing tips down. |
| Affronty | as
with land beasts, avians can be shown affronty. Some such as the owl and
the bat are much more
identifiable this way. |
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