Unto the College of Heralds of Atlantia, does your fearless leader send greetings!

Well, we all survived Pennsic without a hitch! How wonderful that I didn't have to visit anyone in the hospital!

The heraldic walking tour was a big success and did something different this year. They gave out tokens to camps which exhibited great heraldic display. And I heard that the recipients were pleased to receive their tokens!

The consult table also went very well. We had 40 submitters and everyone enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of Atlantian Royal. Many thanks to Their Majesties for Their gracious hosting of our table. Also, many thanks to each of the heralds who worked at the table that day and to Mistress Alisoun for running it. Vivat!

As you may have read in the Acorn (or should have), I am diligently searching for a successor. I need to receive WRITTEN bids from all interested parties by November 1st. A copy should also be sent to TRH Amalric and Caia. The exact date of my departure has not yet been determined, however, it will be within the next reign. I am more than willing to discuss the requirements for the job and help train qualified parties.

Quickie reminder: When you herald a court, you MUST send me a court report within 2 weeks of the event. List each award/order given IN THE ORDER IN WHICH IT OCCURRED. Do not group awards by type, but rather, list the business as it happened. A second copy should go to the monarch for which you held court (Crown or Territorial Baron/ess) and a third to the Clerk of Precedence. This is VERY important!

I will be at Golden Moon, Crown, Mabinogi and Unevent. As always, mucho help is needed at Crown.

Be courteous; be helpful; be happy!

Criteria for Applying: Applicants must be sustaining members of SCA, Inc., receiving the Acorn at their homes. They need to have a strong understanding of Heraldry within the Society and will be required to pass a test from the Laurel Sovereign of Arms prior to warranting. They will have to be familiar with and abide by the Administrative Handbook (for the College of Arms) and the Rules for Submission, as well as Corpora and Kingdom Law. Applicants should submit in writing to both Triton and the Crown, a bid outlining their goals and plans for completing the duties of the office as well as heraldic and modern resumes.

The Triton Herald should be a good manager with superior people skills. Delegation is the key to success in the office. A strong voice or excellent projection skills and court presence are also assets, however, are not absolutely required, as it is the Crown's prerogative to use any herald they so desire for court.

The Triton Herald is a member of the SCA College of Arms and is expected to keep in contact with the Laurel Sovereign of Arms. The Triton Herald is also the Principal of the Atlantian College of Heralds and a member of Curia Regis. He/she is expected to attend Curia Regis and report to Their Royal Majesties or else provide a report with an appropriate proxy.

Triton is responsible for the day to day operation of the CoH, ensuring that all aspects of Heraldry are running smoothly throughout the Kingdom. These areas include, but are not restricted to, Submissions, Court Heraldry, Order of Precedence, Field Heraldry, Heraldic Education, and Protocol and Ceremonies. Triton may appoint such deputies as he/she sees fit to assist with the above aspects, but final responsibility lies with Triton.

Triton is responsible for ensuring proper protocol and ceremony at all Kingdom events, and is expected to attend Coronation, Crown Tourney, Unevent, 12th Night and any kingdom-sponsored heraldic symposia or training events. Triton is also expected to provide a heraldic class tract at University as often as is possible. Pennsic and Gulf Wars are events that are very important for Triton to attend, but are not mandatory.

Triton is responsible for reporting to the Laurel Sovereign of Arms on a quarterly basis and issues the Warrants for the heralds of Atlantia. Individual warrants are not issued, rather, we use a roster system, and a copy of the roster is presented to each Crown during their reign.

Triton is expected to understand and comply with the concept of confidentiality, both of the Crown and individual submitters. All communications with the Crown handled in an official capacity are confidential and should not be relayed further, unless the Crown so specifies. In addition, submitters are afforded a right of privacy and their personal contact information is not distributed to persons not directly related to the submissions process. Triton is expected to conduct him/herself in a manner befitting a Great Officer of State at all times when acting in his/her official capacity.

Finally, Triton is a position requiring stability and ethics. There must not be an implication of conflict of interest, nor should Triton allow themselves to be influence by higher ranking persons. Triton answers only to the Crown and to Laurel; no one else can dictate their actions.

"The term 'heraldry' derives from the word 'heraldry', which itself stems from the Old High German heriwald and Old French herault, meaning messenger."(1)

Heraldry is a pictorial language that is very, very old. There are references to heraldic devices contained in the Bible (check out The Book of Numbers, Chapter Two, versus 2 and 34) as well as throughout the Roman Empire, Ancient Egypt, Greek shields dated to 500 BC, Persian shields dated to 590 AD, Viking shields, shields of Royal guards and depicted in mediaeval manuscripts and paintings all through the centuries such as in the Beyeux Tapestry which dates to 1077. It is still in widespread use today, even though many people wouldn't have thought so. All throughout history we can find symbols that represent those in authority and the connections they bear. Look at today's military. Heraldic devices comprise the identification for every single unit and branch of each of the services. If you see a light blue castle enclosed in a semi circle, what flashes to your mind? most everyone will recognize that as the Disney symbol. Or how about the red and white checkered pattern square? Ralston Purina! Or Dodge's Ram, or Pontiac's Firebird. Heraldry abounds all over the place. What about street signs? They're a bit of heraldry too. Heraldry encompasses many things. It is a pictorial history guide for all of us showing us in pictorial form the hopes, aspirations, achievements and failures of our ancestors. Buildings all over Europe are embellished with heraldic devices helping to indicate ownership, allegiances, and fealty lines, as well as to decorate

In the Twelfth Century, the practice of "bearing arms" or the nobility being armigious became widespread. During that time frame being able to accessorize using a picture - arms – to identify you was all the rage. Military households of the Angevin Kings were dressed out in their liege lord's livery. The tournaments that became the prevalent way to stay in shape and ready for war, boasted livery, banners, heraldic surcoats, and badges everywhere, and on everything from your serfs to your drinking class, bedspread, clothing, lady, children, pouch, everything! When inhabitants of castles saw riders coming up over the rise, they looked for the standard being born at the front of the group. If the heraldry was familiar and identified as friendly, a warm welcome usually was extended. If not, hostilities might have ensued, or at least a major confrontation at the gates whilst the gateman determined who these people were and what they wanted. Because heraldry had become such a widely used way of identifying nobles, some system was needed to make sure that the devices used were indeed unique and that there was no mistaking who belonged to what device. Thus the College of Heralds came into existence.

In the 12th century, devices were fairly simple and usually geometric. Symbols used were those that were familiar such as beasts and birds. Beasts were not contained to reality, as there were wyverns and dragons, unicorns and the like. For instance, the standard of Wessex contains a Golden Dragon and has been attributed to the standard carried by Cuthred at the battle of Burford in 752 as well as by Edmund Ironside of Assingdon in 1016 and by Harold on the Senlac ridge in 1066. The banner of Edward the Confessor was quite simple, a gold cross floury (looks like it has a fluer de lie at each end) with a gold dove in each quadrant of the cross and one at the base of the cross, all on a blue field. (The correct heraldic blazon translates to: azure, a cross floury between five doves or). This device is prevalent all throughout Westminster.

Moving along to the 13th century, we find the leopards of England coming to the forefront with Eleanor of Aquitane and the device of the Plantagenet family. The leopard is really what we call the lion. The lion can be traced to Henry I in the first part of the 12^th century and is seen throughout the English Royal accouterments. The seal of Eleanor of Aquitane contains three lions on a shield shape with her thistle which is evidence of marshaling (marshaling? what's that? Oh that is where you combine devices of two or more people [usually people, could be say, kingdoms] to indicate whom is with whom, lines of authority, fealty, who's part of who's family. etc).

I could continue on with many more examples, but I think we all have the idea here. In the SCA heraldry is used in much the same way as it was throughout history, in that it denotes who is who, and where they are. If you see the blue and white banner with those wavy lines alternating on it, a gold crown in the center, surrounded by a green laurel wreath, one would expect to see the Atlantian King around. Same field, but a wreath of red roses surrounded a gold shell indicates the Atlantian Queen is around. If you get a missive with someone's device on it, you know who is is from, even if you can't read (which of course is no longer the case as it was in the 12th century and beyond!) If you face someone in the lists you can at least recognize them again the next time by the heraldry on their shield and surcoat. At Pennsic, I've fought a number of people. I traveled to another Kingdom (Caid) far away from Atlantia and went to a fighter practice there. I met this lady and recognized her heraldry, though I couldn't remember her name. I explained my heraldry to her, and the two of us remembered the tourney we were in together, as well as the outcome from the encounter. The adage of a picture being worth a thousand words is very, very true.

So, there you have it. Heraldry is a pictorial representation of a person, idea, or organization. If you don't have registered heraldry, think on what you'd like for others to see and associate with you. Have fun, enjoy, visit one of the heralds!

In closing, a riddle, the heralds of mediaeval times devised heraldry for prominent historical figures, religious, real and fictional, such as the Arch-Angel Michael, Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Merlin, Uther Pendragon, and King Arthur. Here is a blazon that was created for one such personage... whose is it?

Look for the answer, in the next Herald’s Point.

(1) Pastourea, Michel. Heraldry Its Origins and Meanings. Pg. 73. Thames and Hudson. 1997.

(2) Friar, Stephen and John Ferguson. Basic Heraldry. The Herbert Press. 1993

Rank Guide:

On a personal note is the change in the status of heralds a permanent thing? I kind of liked feeling necessary.

Rhi

Thank each and every one of you for all you do to bring ambiance and medieval style to our experience. *I* think you are necessary and am very grateful that you dedicate your time and effort to your local groups, as well as the Kingdom at large. I owe you each a hug and so much more.

Rhiannon, Triton

The next issue will be out in December. I would REALLY appreciate if someone would send some kind of heraldically related article (not later than 30 Nov 1999, send via email to: angela@ascc.lucent.com) for me to include, else y’all will be subjected to my ramblings once again!

Herald’s Point is the newsletter for the members of the College of Heralds of Atlantia. This newsletter is published quarterly (March, July, September, December) and is available from Lady Mordeyrn Tremayne (Angela Pincha-Neel) 125 Oakridge Ave, Fayetteville, NC 28305. Herald’s Point is not a corporate publication of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. (SCA) and does not delineate SCA policies. Herald’s Point DOES delineate Heraldic policies as they relate to the Kingdom of Atlantia. Corrections and updates should be sent to the Triton Principal Herald, Mistress Rhiannon Ui Neill

Herald’s Point

c/o Mordeyrn Tremayne

(Angela K. Pincha-Neel)

125 Oakridge Avenue

Fayetteville, NC 18305