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→Escutcheon
===Escutcheon===
===Escutcheon===
The escutcheon, or shield, is the central device in any coat of arms. The field, or ground, of a shield is divided into nine areas:
The escutcheon, or shield, is the central device in any coat of arms, and is based on the medieval war shield carried by the knight. The field, or ground, of a shield is divided into nine areas:
*Top row (''l-r''): dexter chief, center chief, sinister chief;
*Top row (''l-r''): dexter chief, center chief, sinister chief;
*Center row (''l-r''): dexter flank, fess point, sinister flank;
*Center row (''l-r''): dexter flank, fess point, sinister flank;
Colors, or ''tinctures'', are limited to two metals, gold (''or'') and silver (''argent''); and five to seven colors: red (''gules''), blue (''azure''), green (''vert''), purple (''purpure''), sanguine (''murrey''), tawny (''tenne''), and black (''sable''). Tinctures also consisted of "fur" backgrounds, such as ermine (black tails on a white background) or squirrel (alternating bell shapes). Later on, tinctures would consist of uniform dots or lines, ostensibly to show contrasting patterns when first engraved as book illustrations.
Colors, or ''tinctures'', are limited to two metals, gold (''or'') and silver (''argent''); and five to seven colors: red (''gules''), blue (''azure''), green (''vert''), purple (''purpure''), sanguine (''murrey''), tawny (''tenne''), and black (''sable''). Tinctures also consisted of "fur" backgrounds, such as ermine (black tails on a white background) or squirrel (alternating bell shapes). Later on, tinctures would consist of uniform dots or lines, ostensibly to show contrasting patterns when first engraved as book illustrations.
Over time the escutcheon would change shape, but still would be based on the war shield. Women, however, were not granted the same arms as men; in their version the shield is replaced by the ''lozenge'', either a rhomboid or an oval in shape, but with the same overall colors and design as the male counterpart. Other non-combatants, such as clergy, would also have the ''lozenge'' as the centerpiece of their coat of arms.
====Charges====
====Charges====