Clarification of Hogwarts heraldry--LONG

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 11458

heidi wrote:

> The shield, if my understanding of heraldry is correct (and it may not
> be) is the MIDDLE portion of the crest - the crest has the different
> house animal symbols - if that's the
> case, the shield termonology is correct.

<lecture mode ON>
*ahem.* Thank you for coming to Amanda's Fabulous Heraldry Lecture. Get
comfortable.

To clarify a bit, some terms. The basic components of a full achievement
of arms (the drawing with the shield, motto, etc.--full nine yards) are:

-the shield
-the helmet atop it with an animal or some emblem on top
-supporters, which are figures that hold up the shield on either side
(example--the lion and unicorn of England/Britain/whatever, you Brits
know what I mean)
-the motto, usually on a thin curvy banner beneath the shield and
supporters

Taking these terms in order:

The term "crest," which just about everyone uses for the design on the
shield, is properly only applied to the thing that sits atop the helmet.
We have not seen a full achievement of Hogwarts School, and so do not
know what the crest is. I'd assume it's a demi-boar, rampant (top half
of a boar, upright) or a demi-dragon, dormant (top half of dragon,
portrayed sleeping). But that's just my opinion--we have not been told.
No part of what they've drawn up for Hogwarts or the houses is a crest,
nor have we been told in canon what the crest of Hogwarts might be.

What we've been calling the crest is actually the device, the design on
the shield. Each house has a device. They are (off my Official Fridge
Magnet):
Gryffindor - Gold lion on red (Gules, a lion rampant to sinister Or)
Slytherin - Silver snake on green (Vert, a serpent embowed erect argent)

(my terminology for the snake's position is probably off; I don't have a
heraldry reference handy)
Hufflepuff - Black badger on gold (Or, a badger rampant regardant sable)

Ravenclaw - Gold eagle on blue (Azure, an eagle displayed Or)
(although in the artwork they've drawn the eagle looking remarkably like
a raven about the head)

The device of Hogwarts itself is a case of quartering--it combines the
four House devices on one shield. The "H" is on a little shield overall,
called an inescutcheon, and is a black H on gold (Or, a capital letter H
sable).

These designs, by the way, are absolutely beautiful heraldry, and are
the only correct ones in canon. Those modern "logo-style" nightmares
they've come up with, with the outlines of the animal over multicolored
fields, etc., are movie-products, designed for modern eyes, and ugly as
sin. Not to mention their contrast is lousy, and heraldry was for
Identification At A Distance.

Supporters--we have not been told if the achievement of Hogwarts has
supporters, although I'd postulate they'd be winged boars, since winged
boars top the columns framing the gate.

And the motto--we all know the motto, appropriately presented in Latin
as is traditional (although you do find other languages). Draco dormiens
nunquam titillandus.

Any questions? Comments? General pleas to shut up?

<lecture mode OFF>

Scones and clotted cream all round; my place at 4, okay?

--Amanda (can you tell I'm a herald in a medieval group?)


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