Heraldic Shields

Heraldic shields or Escutcheon , are shields representing a coat of arms or maybe a symbol that would describe you. The word Escutcheon comes from the  Middle english word escochen , this word comes from the Anglo-Norman word Escuchon,  this word comes from the latin word scutun, meaning shield. There were different types of shields used by different countries, such as the full body shields used by the Normans, or the short ones used by the french. There are different sides and places on the shield called points. Points are where you place the symbols. There are many symbols you can find on a heraldic shield such as creatures like Lions , Gryphons, snakes, and basalisks. Some other things also like crowns, swords , olive branches, axes, a fleur de lil, or the flag of your country. Heraldry can be traced back to ancient Egypt when the emblem known as the serekh was used to symbolize their military alliance. Alexander the great was known to bestow badges on his captains with heraldic symbols on them. The first uses of heraldry in the middle ages were in the battle of hastings and the first crusade.Only knights and kings would use heraldic shields. As we can see heraldic shields are very prominent throughout the middle ages. In my opinion it is a way of letting people know who you are and how you would describe yourself.