[Ansteorra-archery] A short treatise on heraldry.

[Rumil Fletcher]

OK, just a couple more thoughts on coming up with some ideas for armory.

People sometimes say to themselves, "I like archery and drinking.  So 
I want my arms to have a bow and arrow and a mead cup."  This is not 
period usage.

Period usage uses something to remind the viewer what the person's 
name is.  For example, my name is Rumil Fletcher, and my blazon (the 
verbal description of my arms) is "Azure (blue), three arrows or 
(gold).  The matching of my name (Fletcher) to the arrows is called 
"canting" and is more appropriate.

How about some other examples of canting:

Ironwyrm - a black dragon, wyvern, gryffyn.  Black being the color of iron.
Longhair - a wooly headed man, perhaps with a braid.
Aelfwine - Literally Elf (or fairie) and Wine.  So a good cant would 
be an elf and a wine skin.
Redulf - A red wolf.
Cooper - A barrel.
Arrowsmith - An arrowhead above an anvil, or below a hammer.
Miller - a waterwheel or grindstone.
Talon of Blackoak - An uprooted black oak held by a huge truncated 
claw with talons.
Blackthorne - A branch with thorns on it.
Eadric of Hastings - An axe combattant with a kite shield to 
represent the competing armies of Harold Godwinson and William of 
Normandy.

Anyway, you get the idea.  You will need to find out what your name 
means in the original tongue, but this can get you started in the 
right direction.

Rumil