Blazoning of Creatures Simple Guide

by Magister Eldred Ælfwald, Azure Dragon Herald Extraordinary
© 2025 Eldred Ælfwald / J. T. Thorpe


Compiled from the revised edition of an old article that was published in the Proceedings of the Society for Creative Anachronism's 2001 Known World Heralds & Scribes Symposium.

Basic Premise: Identifiabilty

In period armory, beasts and monsters were drawn such that their main features were easily seen and identified, and this convention should continue to be used. To show their features to the best advantage a variety of "poses" or attitudes were adopted for beasts. Since the features of land-based beasts are different from those of water or air-based beasts, there are different attitudes for each category. One thing to note is that the default position for a beast or monster to be facing is to dexter (the viewer's left).

Sea Creatures Land Animals - Quadrupeds

HAURIENT

URINANT

NAIANT

RAMPANT

SALIENT /
FORCENE /
CLIMANT /
SPRINGING

SEJANT

SEJANT ERECT
Dolphins

HAURIENT

URINANT

NAIANT

STATANT /
PASCUANT

PASSANT /
TRIPPANT

COURANT

COUCHANT
Sea Monsters No longer registered

ERECT

ONDOYANT / UNDOYANT

❌ DORMANT

❌ AFFRONTY

❌ CAT IN ITS CURIOSITY

❌ ULUANT
Modifiers for Fish Land Animals - Serpents

EMBOWED

COUNTER-EMBOWED

EMBOWED-COUNTEREMBOWED

GLISSANT

ONDOYANT / UNDOYANT

NOWED

INVOLVED
Land Animals - Insects, Tortoises, & Amphibians

TERGIANT

VOLANT/VOLANT-EN-ARRIERE

DISPLAYED

IN ANNULO VORANT OF ITS TAIL

ERECT

COILED ERECT

❌ ERECT TAIL COILED
Land Animals - Humanoids Airborne Animals - Mainly Birds

STATANT AFFRONTY

ARMED AND MOUNTED

STATANT AFFRONTY WINGS DISPLAYED AND INVERTED

RISING /
ROUSANT

ADDORSED

DISPLAYED / MIGRANT

CLOSE
Heads  

COUPED

COUPED CLOSE

ERASED

STRIKING /
TRUSSING

GUARDANT /
AFFRONTY

STATANT

NAIANT
 

CABOSSED

JESSANT-DE-LYS

IN ITS PIETY / VULNING

IN ITS VIGILANCE

IN ITS PRIDE

VOLANT
Wing Positions (Modifiers)

ELEVATED

INVERTED
Neither Fish Nor Fowl

CELAPODS

SNAILS

BI-/TRICORPORATE

WINGED

SEA-<animal of choice>
Multiple Animals + Minor Adjustments

COMBATTANT

RESPECTANT

ADDORSED

REGARDANT

GUARDANT

COWARD

MAINTAINING
 

COUNTER-PASSANT

COUNTER-SALIENT

SUSTAINING

BRANDISHING

TAIL NOWED

VULNING

VORANT
 

CAPARISONED/BARDED

PINONED/WINGED

MEMBERED
 

IN ANNULO