- Blazon
- a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image
It comes from the French word blason which means ‘shield.’
The Heraldic Shield
The shield is also called the Escutcheon.
You will frequently see the Heater-style shield utilized in Heraldry.
In some cases you may see the Lozenge shape. Lozenge were traditionally used for women of a family. In Greek Life, Pi Beta Phi utilizes a Lozenge shape.
Points
The points of the shield refer to specific positions thereon and are used to describe where a charge should be placed.
- A. Chief: very top of the shield, corresponding to where the ordinary chief begins
- B. Dexter: right side of shield when worn (viewer’s left)
- C. Sinister: left side of shield when worn (viewer’s right)
- D. Base: very bottom
- E. Dexter Chief: top-right corner
- F. Middle Chief: top-middle
- G. Sinister Chief: top-left corner
- H. Honour Point: halfway between the middle chief and fess point
- I. Fess Point: exact middle
- J. Nombril Point: halfway between the base and the honour point or between the middle base and the fess point
- K. Dexter Base: bottom-right
- L. Sinister Base: bottom-left
- M. Middle Base (seldom used): bottom-middle