Heraldry

[Leslie Miller]

> nother question:  are the heraldic guidelines meant to be European?  I don't
> want to just assume that, but it doesn't seem like much on-Continental stuff
> gets displayed;  would Japanese or Native American designs be put down, even if
> they were possible n Period?  It might bring a heterogenousness to events
> that displeases some aesthetic tastes, but big merchant cities have always
> had colorful alien visitors.  And no, I don't mean Xfiles aliens.  A pierced
> & tattoed Maori king would certainly clash with an Italian event, but....

Isn't it Duke Lloyd who has a diamondback rattlesnake as part of his device?  
And somebody has a scorpion... and the Barony of Eldern Hills has a 
buffalo as part of theirs... Duchess Rowan has a polar bear... So Western 
hmispheric *critters* seem to be widely acceptable and frequently 
used.  (I'm assuming that you're talking heraldry here, and not 
actual people.)

I think what they (the heralds) are looking for is a design 
which can meet their European-based SCA heraldic guidelines which is 
not blatantly modern (ie depicting jet aircraft and mack trucks).  I 
don't know if they'd go for tomahawks and teepees, though 
(but maybe they would), or native "designs".  My guess is that 
native designs would violate one rule oranother.  I think I've seen 
actual period arms that had supporters which were Native Americans 
holding spears (when I was in Denmark, perhaps), so they 
might go for your Maori king.  But, I'm not a herald, so....[insert 
your favorite disclaimer here].  I mainly just wanted to point out 
that non-continental animals are used fairly often in SCA heraldry.

Gunhilda
Shire of Mooneschadowe
miller at pp.okstate.edu