HONOURABLE ORDINARY PIECES

These pieces, occupying the first places in the shield, sometimes arouse speculation as to their symbolic origins. It’s thought that the pal (vertical) could be a representation of the lance, the fasce (horizontal) a reminder of the sword-belt or military girdle, the bend a reminder of the cross-belt, and the chevron of the spurs, while the chief would recall the helmet. Unlike the quarters which are lines separating the enamels, the honourable ordinary pieces are complete elements affixed on the shield - thus generally of a different enamel from that of the field.

As with the quarters, tables of almost all the honourable ordinary pieces can be brought up on your screen (depending on the version of software). Coloured designs will then help you in your choices.

Unlike the quarters, which remain on the same plane, these pieces are applied on the shield in relief. This subject will be of interest to engravers, above all, but is nevertheless of general importance. We will return to it more fully in our later section on the shield.

All these pieces can have straight or uneven lines (embattled, bretessé, invected, crenellated, indented, lopped, engrailed, enté. mortised, nebuly, pignonnées, undy or undé, potent, dancetty or dancetté, and others).

You will find key examples in the various illustrations provided, as well as a summary of the borders used in heraldry.