The Taxonomy of Heraldry and Vocabulary of Heralds

"Blazonry is the special language of heraldry that depicts a shield of arms using a cant vocabulary in a prescribed sequence beginning with the surface of the shield" - Metzig

A blazon is the description (or taxonomy) of an arms. The blazon describes the shield with its Blazon Components, then it describes the other Parts of the Arms. The blazon must conform to the Composition Rules of Blazonry, which have evolved throughout History. (Click for an example of a Bowen blazon.)

Arms Vocabulary includes:

Parts of a Coat of Arms
Blazon Components (things that go on the Coat of Arms)
Composition Rules for how they are assembled (see also: Common Errors in the Bowen arms)

Heraldic Ownership Rules

In most countries, official arms must be unique and carried by only one person (usually the oldest living male)
- Only the descendents of the recipient of a Coat of Arms (usually the sons) are entitled to bear the arms, but their arms must be "differenced" from the arms of their father in some manner
- Technique for differencing varies by country, but generally a "charge" is added at the top of the shield (in chief), which denotes the order of birth.
- After the death of his father (and all previous bearers) the first son of the recipient of a Coat of Arms is permitted to bear the ancestor's arms, undifferenced
The arms of a woman are depicted as a Lozenge (diamond shape) [F&F, p.140]
Armorial Bearings are granted today in the UK by:
- Confirmation or
- Grant (including corporate bodies or organizations, as shown below)

Arms Granted to the British Computer Society

BCS was granted Armorial Bearings, including the shield and crest, in 1970
Later in 1984, were also incorporated by Royal Charter at the Court at Buckingham Palace
Preamble to the Letters Patent include the following:

'That the said society has been established to promote the science of computing..... facilitating exchanges of information and views..... and publishing information not only for the benefit of members but for the proper and responsible informing of public opinion, and so to do in such manner, by the maintenance of the highest order of professional knowledge and ethics, that the society may provide an informed body, independent of vested interests.'

The following description is based on the
BCS Letters Patent which accompanied the crest:

The major ethical responsibilities of the BCS are emphasised by the leopard's face, surmounting the whole crest and depicting eternal vigilance over the integrity of the Society and its members.
The shield represents the gulf between human aspirations and achievements. It is divided by a band symbolising the bridge of absolute truth, the only means of crossing the gulf
The two devices above the bridge are heraldic representations of the old ferrite core memory, referring to the principles of data recording and storage
The key held by the leopard above the shield denotes the unlocking of the store of knowledge or data retrieval. The key has another important role in the field of ethics: it signifies the Society's concern with the problems of computer privacy.
The portcullis in the lower part of the shield provides a link with the City of Westminster, in which the Society's original headquarters lay and its current London office still lies, and is a reminder of the responsibilities of the Society not only to itself but to the whole community and environment in which it exists.
The lozenges, with ermine tails, on the bridge are of special historical interest. They are a gift from the Earl of Halsbury from his own armorial bearings. They enable the BCS, by perpetuating the device in its own arms, to play a small part in history which is rarely possible for such a relatively young organisation. They are significant in that they emphasise the importance of continuity in the Society's development and serve as a constant reminder of the wider historical role it has to play in the story of human endeavour.

BCS's current logo is a stylized key from their arms

British Arms

BCS Scottish Armorial Bearings
Scottish Arms

Modern Branding

Knights adapted their crest or arms for the design of a banner (or flag) that was used to mark his tent or carried into battle by his squire
Many who received arms since that time have adapted this practice and the banner is frequently described as part of the blazon
The BCS has defined a "Kitemark" design to denote accreditation
for activities and initiatives certified by the Society -- the "flag" of their endorsement, sponsorship, or involvement

Reuse Examples

�1994-2007 Gregory M. Bowen