Heraldic Shields - Modern Day Uses

While there are many modern methods of showing one's support for a team, organization or club, heraldic shields are the original way to go. In feudal Europe, family crests often took the form of a coat of arms, representing important themes that families wanted to promote and associate themselves with. These distinctive designs would be embroidered on tunics, woven into flags and painted or engraved on plaques. By creating its very own distinct coat of arms, each noble family could easily identify their troops in the chaos of battlefields.

While heraldic shields and devices were originally limited to nobility, the common people would eventually adopt their own, resulting in gradual regulation by some countries. Either way, heraldry became rather consistent, as it was based largely on tradition and practical design sensibility. In some countries, families maintained coats of arms, while in others like Scotland and England, they were given to individuals who would pass them down through generations. Eventually, these images would be included in the emblems of universities, trade guilds and other organizations.

The 20th century saw the adoption of European-style heraldic shields in African nations and the Middle East. Japan, which had its own version of heraldry dating back to the 7th century, still displays their crests and arms on various official documents and in images like the Mitsubishi logo.

Modern day heraldry shields are much more abundant than their historically limited counterparts. These devices show up everywhere from traditional places like national coats of arms to corporate logos. One of the most popular use of the modern heraldic shield, however, is representing sports clubs.

Rugby, cricket, sailing and rowing clubs are very well known for their custom shields, representing not only their organizational philosophies but also a sense of family unity. While these vary in appearance, replicas are often awarded to team members for special achievements. Some leagues even have their own heraldic devices, and a club wall that displays some of these usually indicate an organization with a few championships under its belt.

Because heraldry typically include both symbolic imagery and a motto, they are especially popular with modern educational institutions like middle, high and elementary schools. While they may be carved into the brickwork all over the campus, they can also just be used in official stationery, providing a great focal point with a lot more depth to it than a simple logo type can achieve. As schools often have numerous sports clubs, their shields can easily be used to tie the gym together, presenting a rallying point for school spirit, especially when included at half-court or emblazoned on a football field.

Claire Appleton founded Insignia Ltd in 1981 and continues to run it as Managing Director today. Insignia are the UK's leading supplier of Promotional Products and have extensive experience in Sourcing Promotional Items and providing fresh ideas to promote your organisation.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6360225

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