Posture

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The Glossary of Terms:[edit | edit source]

The pose in which a beast or other animate charge is placed, such as rampant//, //passant//, etc. Orientation is an aspect of posture and is controlled by the same rule for difference: X.4.h. //See also Arrangement, Orientation. [[1]]

Conventional S.C.A. Default Postures -[edit | edit source]

In general, the end of a charge that is to chief when the charge is palewise will be to dexter when the same charge is placed fesswise (as if rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise). A sword fesswise//, for example, has its point to dexter, and an //arrow fesswise// has its feathers to dexter. The most common exception is the //(quill) pen: when palewise, it has its nib to base, but when it is fesswise, the nib is to dexter. See Default Postures for the list of Conventional SCA Default Postures.

Unity of Posture aka Unified Posture and Orientation.

See also Quadruped Postures, Bird Postures, Sea Creature Postures, Blazoning of Creatures

SENA Appendix L: A Partial List of Postures and Orientations[edit | edit source]

This is a list of postures and orientations that can be used to determine whether two charges or groups of charges conflict or whether there is a distinct change for posture/orientation. Animate Charges A. Quadrupeds: The postures listed within each group generally conflict, though a distinct change may be given for facing to dexter or to sinister. [See Quadruped Postures for standard heraldic postures.]

  • rampant, segreant, salient, sejant erect, statant erect
  • passant, statant, courant
  • sejant, sejant erect
  • couchant, dormant
  • sejant erect affronty, sejant affronty

B. Birds: The postures listed within each group generally conflict, though a distinct change may be given for facing to dexter or to sinister. [See Bird Postures]

  • close, naiant
  • displayed, migrant
  • volant
  • rousant, rising, striking

C. Insects and Other Tergiant-Default Creatures: This category is for insects and other creatures whose default is tergiant. The postures listed within each group generally conflict. [See Reptile and Insect, Arthropod.]

  • tergiant
  • tergiant inverted
  • bendwise
  • bendwise sinister

D. Fish: The postures listed within each group generally conflict, though a distinct change may be given for facing to dexter or to sinister. [See Sea Creatures.]

  • haurient, urinant
  • naiant

E: Humanoids: This category is for humans and humanoid monsters. The postures listed within each group generally conflict. [See Humans, Humanoids.]

  • statant
  • statant affronty
  • mounted on a horse or other creature

F. Sea creatures and other Erect-Default Creatures: This category is for sea creatures and other creatures whose default is erect. The postures listed within each group generally conflict. [See Sea Creatures.]

  • erect

G. Other Animate Charges: Animate charges with postures that do not fit into these categories may be classified into one of those categories on a case by case basis, or may be ruled to receive complete change of posture against none of them. The posture is also changed if the orientation is changed from one of these to another (noting that some of these postures are not allowed for some creatures):

  • head to chief
  • bendwise
  • bendwise inverted
  • bendwise sinister
  • bendwise sinister inverted
  • fesswise
  • fesswise contourny
  • head to base

Inanimate Charges Inanimate charges are split into two types: compact charges and long charges. Compact charges of different types do not have a distinct change for orientation changes. Compact charges that are radially symmetric, like roses, mullets, and suns, do not have a distinct change for orientation changes under any circumstances. Compact charges with a clear top and bottom may have a distinct change for changes when the two orientations are different and on this list:

  • top to chief
  • bendwise
  • bendwise inverted
  • bendwise sinister
  • bendwise sinister inverted
  • fesswise
  • fesswise reversed
  • top to base

Long charges of different types may have a distinct change for changes that alter the orientation of the long axis of the charge, so

  • palewise (upright or inverted)
  • bendwise (upright or inverted)
  • bendwise sinister (upright or inverted)
  • fesswise (to dexter or reversed)

Long charges of identical types may also receive a DC for facing – the change from dexter facing to sinister facing and from upright to inverted – if they have a clearly defined point or head. There is a DC between a sword palewise// and //a sword palewise inverted. Long charges may also receive a DC for facing if they have another clearly defined axis, like right and left or up and down. Thus there is a DC between a bow fesswise and a bow fesswise inverted.

Precedents:[edit | edit source]

Precedents of the SCA College of Arms - http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/precedents.html
Morsulus Heralds Website - [[http://www.morsulus.org/ (to search the LoARs and Precedents)
Use the above links to be sure any precedents listed below haven't been superseded by newer precedents.

Definition:[edit | edit source]

July 2013 - tricorporate[edit | edit source]

Galen O'Conaill. Name and device. Azure, a tricorporate wolf argent. "The submitter may wish to be aware that the more typical drawing of a tricorporate beast in period armory has the top two bodies back to back, with the bottommost body facing to dexter. The specific orientation difference here of one of the three bodies is not a blazonable detail." http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2013/07/13-07lar.html#259

November 2012 - Unified Posture and Orientation, Take 2[edit | edit source]

From Wreath:

Section A3D2c of the Standards for Evaluation states:

  • c. Unity of Posture and Orientation: The charges within a charge group should be in either identical postures/orientations or an arrangement that includes posture/orientation (_in cross, combatant,_ or _in pall points outward_, for example). A charge group in which postures for different charges must be blazoned individually will not be allowed without period examples of that combination of postures. Arrangements of charges which cannot be blazoned will not be allowed. Some standard arrangements for period charge groups are discussed in Appendix K.

The examples given concern groups of identical charges, but do not directly address how to handle mixed-type charge groups. Precedent set on the May 2012 Cover Letter stated:

It seems to us best to apply the concept of "comparable postures", as described in section A5G7, which references Appendix L. In short, if the charges in a single charge group do not have comparable postures, they are not in violation of the "identical postures/orientations" part of the rule. The charge group as a whole must still be in a standard arrangement.

The phrase "in which postures for different charges must be blazoned individually" seems to be tripping people up. To clarify, we emphasize that when charges in a group are in different categories according to SENA A5G7 and SENA Appendix L, they do not have comparable postures/orientations and may be blazoned independently. The charge group as a whole must still be in a standard arrangement.

We looked at several period armorials to find out what sorts of posture/orientation combinations and arrangements we find in period armory for mixed-type charge groups. Keeping in mind that our core style is based on Anglo-Norman armory, there is an emphasis on those armorials; the full list of sources is below.

In period armory, when there are two or three dissimilar charges in the same group, they typically have identical postures only in some cases. Examples:

  • BSB Cod.icon.291 f. 17v: _Argent, a dragon vert and a lion azure crowned gules combattant_. Dragons and lions have comparable postures; these are in an identical posture.
  • BSB Cod.icon.291, f. 38r: _Sable, on a bend between a dog salient and a dolphin naiant argent three roundels gules_. Dogs and dolphins do not have comparable postures; the dog here is upright while the dolphin is fesswise.
  • SGS Cod.Sang.1084, p. 272: _Per fess argent and gules, two roses and a demi-fleur-de-lys inverted issuant from the line of division counterchanged_. Roses and fleur-de-lys do not have comparable orientations.

Most frequently, a mixed-type group consists of both animate and inanimate charges, occasionally two different types of inanimate charges, and less commonly two different types of animate charge. The vast majority of dissimilar charges in a group are all in their typical default posture/orientation, which in most cases is essentially palewise. Judging from the few examples listed above where that is not the case, our precedent appears to be consistent with period practice. While we found no examples of mixing inanimate compact charges with inanimate long charges in different orientations, for example _in pale a fleur-de-lys and a sword bendwise_, we feel that allowing such a combination is acceptable at this point in time.

A3D2c mentions _combattant_ as "an arrangement that includes posture/orientation". What other sorts of arrangements are possible?

Period armory draws charges to take up the most space possible. With two charges, typically we find both charges placed side by side _in fess_, with their long axes vertical. There are therefore three posture/orientation cases possible, all of which we see in period armory: both charges facing the same direction, charges addorsed, or charges respectant/combatant. There is also the far less common case of two horizontal charges placed _in pale_: both charges facing the same direction, or charges facing in opposite directions. Examples:

  • BSB Cod.icon.291, f. 36r: _Bendy azure and argent, a sword fesswise between two lions counterpassant passant_. It is unclear if this is a single primary group of three charges, or a primary sword between secondary lions, or primary lions surrounding a secondary sword. In any case, the upper lion is passant to sinister and the lower lion is passant to dexter.
  • BSB Cod.icon.307, p. 287: _Or, in pale a hunting horn and a hunting horn reversed sable_. Two horns facing in opposite directions.
  • The Visitation of Cheshire in 1580 gives the arms of Glegg of Gayton as _Sable, two lions counterpassant in pale argent collared gules_. We would likely blazon this as _in pale two lions counter-passant passant_, to clarify that the upper lion is passant to sinister and the lower lionpassant to dexter.

With three charges in a group on the field, the default arrangement is "two and one". The vast majority of these arrangements all face in the same direction, but the upper two charges may be addorsed or respectant/combatant. No examples were found where the bottommost charge did not face in the same direction as at least one of the uppermost charges. Examples:

  • BSB Cod.icon.291, f. 37r: _Per chevron gules and azure, two lions respectant and a fleur-de-lys Or_.
  • BnF fr.4985, f. 89r: _Argent, a chevron gules between three eagles azure, those in chief heads addorsed_.
  • Siebmacher pl. 161: _Argent, three lions gules, those in chief combattant_.
  • SGS Cod.Sang.1084, p. 32: _Azure, three wings argent, those in chief addorsed_.
  • Beinecke MS 648, f. 17r: _Argent, three axe heads, those in chief addorsed_.

Other posture/orientation combinations of comparable charges will need to be >documented before they are registerable. http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2012/11/12-11cl.html

May 2012 - Unified Posture and Arrangement[edit | edit source]

From Wreath: Section A3D2c of the Standards for Evaluation, Unity of Posture and Orientation, states: > The charges within a charge group should be in either identical postures/orientations or an arrangement that includes posture/orientation (in cross, combatant, or in pall points outward, for example). A charge group in which postures for different charges must be blazoned individually will not be allowed without period examples of that combination of postures. Arrangements of charges which cannot be blazoned will not be allowed. Some standard arrangements for period charge groups are discussed in Appendix K. All of the examples given are of groups with the same charge type. But what about groups of mixed charge types? It seems to us best to apply the concept of "comparable postures", as described in section A5G7, which references Appendix L. In short, if the charges in a single charge group do not have comparable postures, they are not in violation of the "identical postures/orientations" part of the rule. The charge group as a whole must still be in a standard arrangement. For example, two lions and an eagle// is in a standard two-and-one arrangement for a group of three charges, and is a mixed-type charge group consisting of quadrupeds and birds. Quadrupeds and birds do not have comparable postures, so this is allowable under A3D2c. For example, //two lions and a bear sejant// is a mixed-type charge group consisting of quadrupeds; as quadrupeds do have comparable postures and the lions and bear are not in identical postures, this is not allowable under A3D2c. For example, //two swords in saltire and a lion is a mixed-type charge group consisting of inanimate charges and animate charges, which do not have comparable postures. However, the entire group is not in a single unified arrangement, but instead has the swords and the lion arranged separately. This is not an allowable arrangement under A3D2c, without further documentation of its use in period. http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2012/05/12-05cl.html


Registerability:[edit | edit source]

(Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP

May 2018 CL - On "Ululant"[edit | edit source]

SENA A2B4 defines elements which are a step from period practice under core rules... allows for certain charges and motifs which appear neither in European heraldry nor in the previously mentioned categories. These include elements such as paw prints, compass stars, and birds (other than an eagle) displayed. These are tolerated because they're remarkably popular and function effectively as armorial elements without causing undue confusion. However, inclusion or exclusion of these charges in past rulings was far more subjective, and such elements could cease being registerable if they became problematic.

It is with this background in mind that we come to the subject of ululant wolves. First appearing in the May 1982 LoAR, the use of ululant, or howling, wolves (and other canids) is long and broad, with just under 200 existing registrations of the term. The term and practice have no basis in period armory or art, but its use in post-period motifs (notably in the American southwest) has led to its popularity in the SCA.

As a head posture on a full or demi-beast, its use is not wholly remarkable. Due to period heralds being largely unconcerned with consistency in head placement and orientation on animate charges, the College of Arms doesn't grant any difference between beasts with heads guardant, regardant, or facing the same direction as the torso. In these instances, use of ululant had no impact on conflict, and was merely a note to artists to place the head in the preferred orientation for the submitter.

Heads as stand-alone charges, however, present an altogether different scenario. A head facing dexter gets a DC from either a head affronty or a head contourny, and (because SENA A5G7 grants a DC for orientation) also has difference from a head bendwise or palewise. However, ululant heads blur the distinction between orientations, with the angle of registered examples ranging from midway between fesswise and bendwise to fully palewise. This ambiguity in blazon demonstrates the problem with including this post-period motif in SCA heraldry.

Therefore, we will be discontinuing use of the term ululant in SCA armory and removing it from Appendix G. When used with a whole or demi wolf, a raised head will be treated as an unblazoned artistic detail and allowed as long as identifiability of the creature is maintained. Depictions of animal heads as stand-alone charges should have the heads in a clearly recognizable orientation, with the neck either perpendicular to the head (couped, erased) or parallel (couped close).

Pending documentation, submissions using ululant heads appearing on external letters after September 30, 2018, will no longer be registered.

http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2018/05/18-05cl.html#3


May 2002 - inverted tergiant charges SFPP[edit | edit source]

"The SCA has general precedents against registering inverted animate charges unless they are part of a radially symmetrical group such as in annulo. These precedents are on the grounds that such inverted animals are generally not readily identifiable, and they are not found in period heraldry. However, the SCA also has a registration tradition of allowing animals which are usually found in a tergiant posture to be registered in the tergiant inverted posture. " "There is very little period evidence for tergiant inverted animals in heraldry." "As a result, inverting a tergiant charge is acceptable as long as it does not otherwise violate any basic heraldic principles, including the requirement for identifiability. Because of the lack of period evidence for tergiant inverted charges, the posture will be considered a clear step from period practice (also known informally as a "weirdness") for any charge that cannot be found in this posture in period." May 2002 LoAR

October 2000 - inverted animate charges still restricted[edit | edit source]

By precedent we do not register inverted animals unless they are part of an arrangement in annulo." October 2000 LoAR]

February 1999 - inverted animate charges restricted[edit | edit source]

"We do not allow inverted animate charges in SCA heraldry except when in recognized orientation, such as in annulo." February 1999 LoAR]

Conflict:[edit | edit source]

July 2003 - comparing animate vs inanimate postures[edit | edit source]

"Animate and inanimate objects are not generally considered to have a meaningful posture comparison. When comparing lions with swords, we do not give posture difference between these charges - even when we compare the "sort of fesswise" lion passant to a sword palewise, or the "sort of palewise" lion rampant to a sword fesswise." July 2003 LoAR Cover Letter


Identifiability:[edit | edit source]

Collected Precedents:[edit | edit source]

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