SCA - West Kingdom College of Heralds

Heraldic Templates -- 'Other Charges'

The following links are to pages that contain images that you can use to help design your armory -- this set of images are for all charges that do not fit into other categories as they are used in heraldry. Note that due to size, this will be broken down, and links at the bottom of this page (and at the top) will take you to other groups of charges. These are all listed alphabetically ...

Instructions (please read):

If you want to use this for your heraldic submission, or print it for any reason, click on the 'PDF File' link -- a new browser window will open, and you can print from there.
- If you want to use the image for your own armory submission, these should be sized to be close to the submission forms, and you can trace over them. For straight lines you might want to use a ruler to help.

Note that printing the GIF Files probably will not provide images that are the correct size for the heraldic submission forms.

The descriptions of the charges below are all taken from The Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry ...¹, and rather than having a 'footnote' for each, we have one. Note that not all of the detail in the Pictorial Dictionary has been included in the text given ...

Note: These are not done yet -- the links are here to make it easier for Hirsch, rather than having to keep adding them ... this is a work in progress.

[Abacus to Burnisher] [Caduceus to Cushion] [Distaff to Gyron] [Hammer to Keyhole]
[Label to Net] [Oar to Rudder] [Saddle to Stream] [Tablet to Yoke]

Hammer     A hammer is a tool for pounding, consisting of a blunt heavy head mounted on a handle. It is found in the canting arms of Martel as early as 1275. The hammer's default posture is palewise, head to chief, with the main striking surface facing dexter. Its proper tinctures are with a black metal head and a brown wooden handle.
     The mundane default hammer is drawn with claws or spikes opposite the striking face, and a handle not overlong. It is sometimes blazoned a martel for canting purposes; though this form has been surmised to represent a war-hammer, the same form is found in the arms of the Blacksmith's Company of London, 1490.
     There seems to be no default hammer; probably no other charge has engendered such confusion of types and terms. One type of hammer has been variously blazoned a sledge hammer, a smith's hammer, and a stone hammer; the term war-hammer has been applied to three very different types. Indeed, the unmodified term hammer may be emblazoned as any form of hammer; the exact variant thus counts for no heraldic difference. Except for the mallet and the Thor's hammer, the illustrations should be considered representative samples rather than definitions.
     Some of the variant forms of hammer include: the armorer's hammer; the chasing hammer, used by jewelers; the mallet; the sledgehammer; the smith's hammer, sometimes called a cross peen hammer; the ball been hammer; the Thor's hammer or mjolner, which alone among the hammers has its haft to chief by default; and the war-hammer [see Weapons for this one], which has several forms.

        PDF File

Handgun Rest     A handgun rest is a long spiked pole with a forked top, designed to act as a brace and support for early firearms. It is palewise by SCA default.

        PDF File

Heart     A heart is that organ which pumps blood through the veins. It is drawn in a stylized shape, as found on valentines. In period the heart was a common heraldic charge, as in the arms of Douglas, c.1330. Mundanely, it's proper coloration is gules; SCA practice would simply blazon it gules.

        PDF File

Hide     A hide is the skin or pelt of an animal laid flat; the usual sort is cowhide.

        PDF File

Hobbyhorse     A hobbyhorse is a figure made of wicker or light wood, meant to resemble a horse. Two types were known in period: a large horse-costume used in medieval festivals in England, and a stick hobbyhorse used as a child's toy since c.1560. The latter has been accepted as an heraldic charge in the Society.
      The stick hobbyhorse is always so blazoned; it is palewise by default. The hobbyhorse's proper tincture is brown, the color of wood.

        PDF File

Hoe     A hoe is a gardening tool, with a long handle and a thin flat transverse blade; it's used for weeding, loosening soil, and so on. Though a period artifact, dating ... from c.1050, it was not used as a period charge. The hoe is palewise, blade to base by SCA default.

        PDF File

Horn of Plenty     A horn of plenty is a goat's horn or ram's horn, with an abundance of fruits tumbling from its mouth. It's a symbol from Greek myth, and is also called a cornucopia; as an heraldic charge, it appears to be unique to the SCA. Its default posture seems to be effluent to dexter.

        PDF File

Horseshoe     A horseshoe is a U-shaped metal plate, nailed to a horse's hoof for protection. Its use as an heraldic charge dates from c.1300. The horseshoe has its opening to base by Society and mundane default; it is conventionally drawn with seven nail-holes.

        PDF File

Hourglass     An hourglass is a wasp-waisted glass container, partially filled with sand; it was used for measuring time, by letting the sand trickle from the top half to the bottom. The first known illustration of an hourglass is an Italian fresco, c.1339; by 1600, it was in heraldic use in Germany, in the arms of Kerstlingerode. The hourglass is palewise by default.
     The hourglass should not be drawn as transparent glass, through the use of chasing or voiding; it should be solidly tinctured.

        PDF File

Ink Bottle     An ink bottle is a short, squat bottle for holding a writer's ink; it's also called an ink flask, ink horn, or ink well, though the shape remains unchanged. It is normally found as half of a penner and inkhorn, but there are several SCA examples of its use as a separate charge.
     There is also the ink pot, more ornate and less portable than a standard ink bottle; though a period artifact, its use as a charge seems unique to Society heraldry.

        PDF File

Jewelry     Jewelry are items of personal adornment, usually made with precious metal or gems. While they are often shown worn on a human form, the are also used as charges in their own right. Some examples include cameo busts, wristlets and arm-rings, and necklaces.
     Individual gemstones are also sometimes found as charges, as in the civic arms of Beilstein, c.1600. Gemstones should be cut in a period style -- the step-cut (or emerald-cut) is the most common -- and should be solidly tinctured, not chased. Such step-cut stones carry no difference from billets or delfs, the facets being considered diapering.

        PDF File

Key     A key is a metal instrument for opening a lock by moving its bolt; they are found in the canting arms of Chamberlina, c.1275. Keys are palewise, wards to chief by mundane default; the SCA default seems to be palewise, wards to base, but since this is unclear, it is best to explicitly blazon the posture. Keys fesswise have their wards to dexter by both mundane and SCA default.
     A ring of keys is a set of keys (usually three) joined by a large ring or annulet. In this case, the keys' wards are certainly to base by SCA default.

        PDF File

Keyhole     A keyhole is the opening in a lock into which its key is inserted; it is represented as a simple pawn-like shape. The charge appears to be unique to Society heraldry.

        PDF File

[Abacus to Burnisher] [Caduceus to Cushion] [Distaff to Gyron] [Hammer to Keyhole]
[Label to Net] [Oar to Rudder] [Saddle to Stream] [Tablet to Yoke]

Footnotes:
¹ The Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry as Used in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., 2nd Edition, Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme and Akagawa Yoshio, 1992, self-published.

Disclaimer: All of these drawings are intended for use in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., specifically for heraldic purposes. However, these pages do not delineate SCA College of Arms or West Kingdom College of Heralds policy. All attempts are made when describing or portraying the elements of armory used in these pages to be as accurate to both medieval and SCA usage as possible, but if you are not sure, you should check with the College of Arms or the College of Heralds. You may use these drawings "as is" for the purpose of designing heraldry for use within the SCA with this understanding. All decisions by the West Kingdom College of Heraldry and/or the SCA's College of Arms regarding the depictions used on your submission forms supercedes anything found here.

Heraldic Templates Main Page

Hammer	A hammer is a tool for pounding, consisting of a blunt heavy head mounted on a handle. It is found in the canting arms of Martel as early as 1275. The hammer's default posture is palewise, head to chief, with the main striking surface facing dexter. Its proper tinctures are with a black metal head and a brown wooden handle. The mundane default hammer is drawn with claws or spikes opposite the striking face, and a handle not overlong. It is sometimes blazoned a martel for canting purposes; though this form has been surmised to represent a war-hammer, the same form is found in the arms of the Blacksmith's Company of London, 1490. There seems to be no default hammer; probably no other charge has engendered such confusion of types and terms. One type of hammer has been variously blazoned a sledge hammer, a smith's hammer, and a stone hammer; the term war-hammer has been applied to three very different types. Indeed, the unmodified term hammer may be emblazoned as any form of hammer; the exact variant thus counts for no heraldic difference. Except for the mallet and the Thor's hammer, the illustrations should be considered representative samples rather than definitions. Some of the variant forms of hammer include: the armorer's hammer; the chasing hammer, used by jewelers; the mallet; the sledgehammer; the smith's hammer, sometimes called a cross peen hammer; the ball been hammer; the Thor's hammer or mjolner, which alone among the hammers has its haft to chief by default; and the war-hammer [see Weapons for this one], which has several forms.
		PDF File

Handgun Rest	A handgun rest is a long spiked pole with a forked top, designed to act as a brace and support for early firearms. It is palewise by SCA default.
		PDF File

Heart	A heart is that organ which pumps blood through the veins. It is drawn in a stylized shape, as found on valentines. In period the heart was a common heraldic charge, as in the arms of Douglas, c.1330. Mundanely, it's proper coloration is gules; SCA practice would simply blazon it gules.
		PDF File

Hide	A hide is the skin or pelt of an animal laid flat; the usual sort is cowhide.
		PDF File

Hobbyhorse	A hobbyhorse is a figure made of wicker or light wood, meant to resemble a horse. Two types were known in period: a large horse-costume used in medieval festivals in England, and a stick hobbyhorse used as a child's toy since c.1560. The latter has been accepted as an heraldic charge in the Society. The stick hobbyhorse is always so blazoned; it is palewise by default. The hobbyhorse's proper tincture is brown, the color of wood.
		PDF File

Hoe	A hoe is a gardening tool, with a long handle and a thin flat transverse blade; it's used for weeding, loosening soil, and so on. Though a period artifact, dating ... from c.1050, it was not used as a period charge. The hoe is palewise, blade to base by SCA default.
		PDF File

Horn of Plenty	A horn of plenty is a goat's horn or ram's horn, with an abundance of fruits tumbling from its mouth. It's a symbol from Greek myth, and is also called a cornucopia; as an heraldic charge, it appears to be unique to the SCA. Its default posture seems to be effluent to dexter.
		PDF File

Horseshoe	A horseshoe is a U-shaped metal plate, nailed to a horse's hoof for protection. Its use as an heraldic charge dates from c.1300. The horseshoe has its opening to base by Society and mundane default; it is conventionally drawn with seven nail-holes.
		PDF File

Hourglass	An hourglass is a wasp-waisted glass container, partially filled with sand; it was used for measuring time, by letting the sand trickle from the top half to the bottom. The first known illustration of an hourglass is an Italian fresco, c.1339; by 1600, it was in heraldic use in Germany, in the arms of Kerstlingerode. The hourglass is palewise by default. The hourglass should not be drawn as transparent glass, through the use of chasing or voiding; it should be solidly tinctured.
		PDF File

Ink Bottle	An ink bottle is a short, squat bottle for holding a writer's ink; it's also called an ink flask, ink horn, or ink well, though the shape remains unchanged. It is normally found as half of a penner and inkhorn, but there are several SCA examples of its use as a separate charge. There is also the ink pot, more ornate and less portable than a standard ink bottle; though a period artifact, its use as a charge seems unique to Society heraldry.
		PDF File

Jewelry	Jewelry are items of personal adornment, usually made with precious metal or gems. While they are often shown worn on a human form, the are also used as charges in their own right. Some examples include cameo busts, wristlets and arm-rings, and necklaces. Individual gemstones are also sometimes found as charges, as in the civic arms of Beilstein, c.1600. Gemstones should be cut in a period style -- the step-cut (or emerald-cut) is the most common -- and should be solidly tinctured, not chased. Such step-cut stones carry no difference from billets or delfs, the facets being considered diapering.
		PDF File

Key	A key is a metal instrument for opening a lock by moving its bolt; they are found in the canting arms of Chamberlina, c.1275. Keys are palewise, wards to chief by mundane default; the SCA default seems to be palewise, wards to base, but since this is unclear, it is best to explicitly blazon the posture. Keys fesswise have their wards to dexter by both mundane and SCA default. A ring of keys is a set of keys (usually three) joined by a large ring or annulet. In this case, the keys' wards are certainly to base by SCA default.
		PDF File

Keyhole	A keyhole is the opening in a lock into which its key is inserted; it is represented as a simple pawn-like shape. The charge appears to be unique to Society heraldry.
		PDF File