Animals are common charges which appear in coat armour. Common animals include lions, tigers, leopards, eagles, wolves, greyhounds and ravens. Some mythological favourites include griffins,harpies, pegasus and dragons.

Some of the most common poses are described heraldically as:


There are many hundreds of different charges which can be used in coats of armour. These include such things as images of people, tools of various trades, weapons, wild animals, mythological monsters, celestial icons, flowers and trees, castles and towers, food, household items, birds and fish, and ships, to name just a few.

The importance of these charges was significant in that they would often symbolize the trade, hopes and ambitions of the indivual for whom the arms were created.



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