"Gules, a sword erect in pale, argent, surmounted by two keys, saltier, or. SURMOUNTED. A figure or bearing having another over it." -Hall, 1862

Sword Surmounted by Keys

"Gules, a sword erect in pale, argent, surmounted by two keys, saltier, or. SURMOUNTED. A figure or…

"Argent, three swords in pile, their points towards the base. IN PILE. Arms or other charges that are placed so as to form the shape of a pile are said to be borne in pile." -Hall, 1862

Swords in Pile

"Argent, three swords in pile, their points towards the base. IN PILE. Arms or other charges that are…

An ornamental cursive T, decorated with shields and weapons of heraldry.

Heraldic T

An ornamental cursive T, decorated with shields and weapons of heraldry.

"Argent, a talbot's head erased, semé of billets. TALBOT. A dog formerly used for hunting. It is formed something between a hound and a beagle, with a large snout, and long, round, thick ears." -Hall, 1862

Talbot

"Argent, a talbot's head erased, semé of billets. TALBOT. A dog formerly used for hunting. It…

"This was a small round shield, made of the hide ofa quadruped." — Anthon, 1891

Targe

"This was a small round shield, made of the hide ofa quadruped." — Anthon, 1891

"A relief from the Column of Trajan, Rome. The name testudo, a tortoise (shell), was applied to the covering made by a body of soldiers who placed their shields over their heads. The shields fitted so closely together that men could walk on them and even horses and chariots could be driven over them."—Webster, 1913

A Testudo

"A relief from the Column of Trajan, Rome. The name testudo, a tortoise (shell), was applied to the…

Thor defeats a frost giant, Hrungnir. But as he falls, his club hits Thor, causing him to fall too. He is stuck under Hrungnir's foot.

Thor Stuck Under Hrungnir's Foot

Thor defeats a frost giant, Hrungnir. But as he falls, his club hits Thor, causing him to fall too.…

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

Tilting Shield

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

Tilting Shield

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

Tilting Shield

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

Tilting Shield

A simple tilting shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

"Argent, three torteaux in bend, sinister. TORTEAUX. Red roundlets." -Hall, 1862

Torteaux

"Argent, three torteaux in bend, sinister. TORTEAUX. Red roundlets." -Hall, 1862

"Gules, three towers embattled argent. BATTLEMENTS. Divisions or apertures on the top of castle walls or towers." -Hall, 1862

Towers Embattled

"Gules, three towers embattled argent. BATTLEMENTS. Divisions or apertures on the top of castle walls…

"Argent, a pile, azure, issuing from the chief between two others, transposed. TRANSPOSED. Charges or bearings placed contrary to their usual situation." -Hall, 1862

Transposed

"Argent, a pile, azure, issuing from the chief between two others, transposed. TRANSPOSED. Charges or…

"Argent, three trefoils, gules, one over two." -Hall, 1862

Trefoils

"Argent, three trefoils, gules, one over two." -Hall, 1862

"TRESSURE. An ordinary not so broad as an orle. It generally forms a border to the inescutcheon. Tressures are frequently borne double, and sometimes treble. They are generally ornamented flory and counter-flory. The example contains only a single tressure." -Hall, 1862

Tressure

"TRESSURE. An ordinary not so broad as an orle. It generally forms a border to the inescutcheon. Tressures…

"Or, a double tressure, gules. The tressure is a border at some distance from the edge of the field, half the breadth of an orle: the tressure may be double or treble." -Hall, 1862

Tressure Ordinary

"Or, a double tressure, gules. The tressure is a border at some distance from the edge of the field,…

"Argent, a double tressure, flory and counter-flory, gules. Tressures are generally ornamented, or borne flory or counter flory as in the annexed example." -Hall, 1862

Double Tressure

"Argent, a double tressure, flory and counter-flory, gules. Tressures are generally ornamented, or borne…

"DOUBLE TRESSURE. Two Tressures, or orles, one within the other." -Hall, 1862

Double Tressure

"DOUBLE TRESSURE. Two Tressures, or orles, one within the other." -Hall, 1862

"Vert, two triangles braced, argent. BRACED. Two figures of the same form, interlacing each other." -Hall, 1862

Triangles Braced

"Vert, two triangles braced, argent. BRACED. Two figures of the same form, interlacing each other."…

A simple pointed triangle shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

Pointed Triangular Shield

A simple pointed triangle shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

The heraldic shield used to represent the Holy Trinity.

Symbol of the Holy Trinity

The heraldic shield used to represent the Holy Trinity.

"There appears to have been no essential difference in form between Greek and Roman or Tyrrhenian trumpets. Both were long, straight, bronze tubes, gradually increasing in diameter, and terminating in a bell-shaped aperture." — Anthon, 1891

Roman trumpet

"There appears to have been no essential difference in form between Greek and Roman or Tyrrhenian trumpets.…

"Shield and supporters of Jaspar Tudor, K.G., Earl of Pembroke in 1452 and in 1485 Duke of Bedford; second son of Queen Catherine and Owen Tudor."—Aveling, 1891

Shield of Jaspar Tudor

"Shield and supporters of Jaspar Tudor, K.G., Earl of Pembroke in 1452 and in 1485 Duke of Bedford;…

"TURRETED. A wall or castle having small turrets. In the annexed example the square tower has circular turrets at the angles, and is therefore said to be turreted." -Hall, 1862

Turreted

"TURRETED. A wall or castle having small turrets. In the annexed example the square tower has circular…

"Azure, three unicorns' heads proper, erased, horned or. HORNED. This term is used to denote that the horn of a unicorn is of a different tincture from his body." -Hall, 1862

Unicorns Horned

"Azure, three unicorns' heads proper, erased, horned or. HORNED. This term is used to denote that the…

"Arms of Urban VIII. (Barberini)" — Young, 1901

Urban VIII

"Arms of Urban VIII. (Barberini)" — Young, 1901

The Great Seal of the State of Utah, 1896. The seal shows a bald eagle holding a shield. The shield has a beehive with the motto "Industry."

Seal of Utah

The Great Seal of the State of Utah, 1896. The seal shows a bald eagle holding a shield. The shield…

Vair is one of the furs in heraldry composed of several silver and blue pieces representing little shields.

Vair

Vair is one of the furs in heraldry composed of several silver and blue pieces representing little shields.

Vair pattern on a shield

Vair

Vair pattern on a shield

A shield or escutcheon emblazoned with the fur, vair, represented by alternating azure (blue) and argent (silver) bell shapes with horizontal lines.

Vair Shield Fur

A shield or escutcheon emblazoned with the fur, vair, represented by alternating azure (blue) and argent…

"Argent, three dexter arms, vambraced, couped. VAMBRACED. Armour for the arms." -Hall, 1862

Vambraced

"Argent, three dexter arms, vambraced, couped. VAMBRACED. Armour for the arms." -Hall, 1862

A heraldic shield with argent (silver) and azure (blue) tinctures.

Varus Shield

A heraldic shield with argent (silver) and azure (blue) tinctures.

"Vert, a bordure argent, verdoy, of trefoils. VERDOY. A bordure charged with eight leaves." -Hall, 1862

Verdoy

"Vert, a bordure argent, verdoy, of trefoils. VERDOY. A bordure charged with eight leaves." -Hall, 1862

The heraldic shield of Robert de Vere, close advisor of King Richard II of England.

Shield of Robert de Vere

The heraldic shield of Robert de Vere, close advisor of King Richard II of England.

Vert (green) represented on a shield.

Vert Shield

Vert (green) represented on a shield.

A heraldic shield with a green (vert) surface, represented by the diagonal lines drawn from the top left corner to the bottom right corner.

Vert Shield

A heraldic shield with a green (vert) surface, represented by the diagonal lines drawn from the top…

A shield or escutcheon emblazoned with the color tincture, vert (green), represented by diagonal lines going from upper left to lower right.

Vert Shield Color

A shield or escutcheon emblazoned with the color tincture, vert (green), represented by diagonal lines…

The heraldic shield of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

Shield of Queen Victoria

The heraldic shield of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

"Gules, a bend sinister, voided, argent. VOIDED. A term applied when any part of an ordinary is left open to the field." -Hall, 1862

Voided

"Gules, a bend sinister, voided, argent. VOIDED. A term applied when any part of an ordinary is left…

Voided, in heraldry, a term applied to a charge or ordinary pierced through, or having the inner part cut away, so that the field appears, and nothing remains of the charge except its outer edges.

Voided Cross

Voided, in heraldry, a term applied to a charge or ordinary pierced through, or having the inner part…

"Azure, a voider, argent. In the voider the lines are still wider apart; this ordinary occupies nearly the whole of the field: it may be charged." -Hall, 1862

Voider Ordinary

"Azure, a voider, argent. In the voider the lines are still wider apart; this ordinary occupies nearly…

Roman god of fire

Vulcan

Roman god of fire

Roman god of fire

Vulcan

Roman god of fire

A native American man and woman.

Warrior and Squaw

A native American man and woman.

"After the fall of Athens Sparta stood without a rival in Greece." — Smith, 1882

Greek warriot

"After the fall of Athens Sparta stood without a rival in Greece." — Smith, 1882

The Coat of Arms of George Washington's family. It is said to be in inspiration of the stars and stripes on the flag of the United States.

Washington Family Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of George Washington's family. It is said to be in inspiration of the stars and stripes…

The coat of arms of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.

Arms of Duke of Wellington

The coat of arms of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.

"The male figure is that of Sir John de Weston, of Weston-Lizars, in Staffordshire, and Isabel his wife, whose paternal name was Bromley. In three quarterfoils beneath the figures are shields: the first contains the arms of Weston, sable, and eagle displayed or, with a lable argent, fretty gules; the centre shield is argent, fretty gules; that under the lady is formed entirely of the colours of her arms disposed quarterly, and parted horizontally, or fessways, by the line dancette." -Hall, 1862

Weston Coat of Arms

"The male figure is that of Sir John de Weston, of Weston-Lizars, in Staffordshire, and Isabel his wife,…

"WINGS ERECT. Wings are called erect when their long feathers point upwards." -Hall, 1862

Wings Erect

"WINGS ERECT. Wings are called erect when their long feathers point upwards." -Hall, 1862

"WINGS INVERTED. When the feathers point downwards." -Hall, 1862

Wings Inverted

"WINGS INVERTED. When the feathers point downwards." -Hall, 1862

The Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin. The seal shows a sailor and a yeoman holding the state's coat of arms. It also shows the state animal, the badger and the state motto "Forward."

Seal of Wisconsin

The Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin. The seal shows a sailor and a yeoman holding the state's coat…

"Argent, a wivern, wings raised. WIVERN. A chimerical animal, the upper part resembling a dragon." -Hall, 1862

Wivern

"Argent, a wivern, wings raised. WIVERN. A chimerical animal, the upper part resembling a dragon." -Hall,…

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of the helmet for the crest to rest upon." -Hall, 1862

Round Wreath

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of…

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of the helmet for the crest to rest upon. In Heraldry it is usually drawn straight." -Hall, 1862

Straight Wreath

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of…

Serious American students of theology and divinity, particularly in New England, regarded Hebrew as a classical language, along with Greek and Latin, and essential for study of the Old Testament in the original words. The Reverend Ezra Stiles, president of the College from 1778 to 1795, brought with him his interest in the Hebrew language as a vehicle for studying ancient Biblical texts in their original language (as was common in other schools), requiring all freshmen to study Hebrew (in contrast to Harvard, where only upperclassmen were required to study the language) and is responsible for the Hebrew words "Urim" and "Thummim" on the Yale seal.

Seal of Yale University

Serious American students of theology and divinity, particularly in New England, regarded Hebrew as…

A young man standing in a canoe holding a spear and a shield against a mountainous background.

Young Brave

A young man standing in a canoe holding a spear and a shield against a mountainous background.