← Back to catalogue
Published

charge

vr.tr.charge-q1424805 · thing-q1424805

Let an agent handle heraldic charges by type, blazon, depiction, examples and the rules of heraldic authorities.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems INF.MED

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Identify Which charge.

Figure

What it depicts.

Figure

Figure.

  1. What does this charge depict, and in what attitude? definition
  2. What tincture is it? definition

Blazon

Description.

Blazon

Blazon.

  1. How is the charge blazoned in the official grant? provenance
  2. How is its position described? definition
Meaning Symbolism.

Attested

Documented meanings.

Attested

Attested meanings.

  1. Does the grant or armiger state a meaning for the charge? provenance
  2. Is a popular symbolic meaning unsupported? boundary

Canting

Puns on names.

Canting

Canting arms.

  1. Is this a canting charge that puns on the bearer name? provenance
  2. Which sources say so? provenance
Rules Heraldic conventions.

Tincture

Rule of tincture.

Tincture

Rule of tincture.

  1. Does the design follow the rule of tincture? boundary
  2. Which exceptions apply? provenance

Authority

Registration.

Authority

Heraldic authority.

  1. Which heraldic authority governs arms here? provenance
  2. How are new arms registered? action
Research Finding arms.

Find

Arms with a charge.

Find

Finding arms.

  1. Which arms include this charge, according to armorials? provenance
  2. Which databases list them? provenance

Ordinaries

Terminology.

Ordinaries

Ordinaries.

  1. Does this tradition count ordinaries as charges? provenance
  2. How do references differ? boundary

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Information and virtual systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
INF
Domain
INF.MED
Other names and narrower kinds
cántaro, bundle of straw, clay pot, diversion dam, flaming heart, wheat garb, clog, Cotton in heraldry, arrow, chestnut branch, annulet, snowflake

What it is Filled

Any figure or emblem placed on a heraldic shield or field, such as animals, plants, objects and geometric figures, described in the blazon by tincture, posture and position; some authorities count the ordinaries as charges while others treat them separately.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle heraldic charges by type, blazon, depiction, examples and the rules of heraldic authorities.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Placed on the field
  • Described by tincture and attitude
  • Huge variety
  • Meaning often unattested

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Attribute a coat of arms to a person or family who has no right to it.
  • Design arms for someone that copy registered arms or charges reserved by law.
  • Use state or official charges in a way that suggests official authority.

Only with a human decision

  • Registering or granting new arms.

May

  • Describe and identify heraldic charges using the blazon of a recorded coat of arms.
  • Explain the meaning and history of a charge, citing heraldic sources.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Arms are tied to identity, lineage and sometimes legal right, so misattribution misleads.
  • Some charges carry religious, national or colonial meanings that communities feel strongly about.

Who is affected

  • Armigers and their families
  • Communities whose symbols appear
  • Heraldic authorities

Owners Filled

Steward

The armiger who holds the arms; heraldic authorities where they exist record grants.

Master systems

  • Heraldic authority registers of arms

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q1229071 - registry parent class
  • Q56324329 - registry parent class

related

  • heraldic symbol - category
  • coat of arms - context
  • blazon - language
  • water (heraldry) - example

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.charge-q1424805
  • Wikidata: Q1424805 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1424805)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane INF: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Figures placed on the field of a shield
  • Described in blazon terms
  • Supporters and crests sit outside the shield
  • Figures such as lions, eagles, crosses, stars, pots, sheaves and hearts painted on shields.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • identify charges in a coat of arms
  • read and write blazons
  • find arms using a given charge
  • understand heraldic rules for new arms

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Unsourced symbolic meanings
  • Misreading blazon terms

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Rules of heraldic authorities where they exist

Context of use required Filled

  • Heraldic design, interpretation and research.
  • animate charges such as beasts and birds
  • inanimate charges such as tools and pots
  • plant charges such as garbs of wheat
  • ordinaries and sub-ordinaries (in some systems)
  • canting charges that pun on names

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q1424805: charge - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Charge (heraldry) - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should each charge be a separate entry?
  • How should blazon vocabularies be linked?
  • How should national traditions be recorded?

Machine files

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1424805/spec.json