[gothic-l] Re: Star, Quarterfoil & Swan Iconography

[tigerlipped]

"Smith's Ordinary". an English compilation of medieaval armor
bearings, lists 168 shields under Crescents.According to Peter Gwynn
Jones (Lancaster Herald) the crescent was too common in early
heraldry to have anything but a utilitarian origin. Practicality in
the 12th century, Jones alleges, was the all-guiding principle in the
manufacture of arms, and it's likely that the crescent " was
(originally) no more than a glancing device used to deflect a sword
or an arrow at an oblique angle."

Also, it's my understanding that the crescent was found inscribed
into the catacombs of Rome. In any event, from about 1280 to to 1750,
the crescent was used as a watermark by European paper manufacturers.
This industry appears to have been introduced into France and Italy
by the pre-reformation heresies, the Vaudois and the Albegeois, and
the Cathari and the Patarini, respectively.Many of these crescents
are surmounted by the seal of Solomon, or, as it is called today, the
Star of David.

The swan is a cognate device, and is alleged to have been inspired by
an 11th century legend. The story goes that the Duchess of Boullion
married a knight who had arrived at her castle in a boat drawn by a
swan. Other versions of the legend has the knight marrying the
Duchess of Brabant, from whom sprang the ducal line of Cleves, and,
who, like the Count of Boulonge adopted the swan as their heraldic
device. (Sir Anthony Wagner Clarenceux King of Arms)

Ben
--- In gothic-l at y..., "Bertil Haggman" <mvk575b at t...> wrote:
> To Carlos Carvalho
>
> It is not certain if the was an Ostrogotic legal system.
> There is a document, Edictim Theodorici, which is
> a revised Roman law. It is not product of high quality.
> It is even uncertain if it originated with Theoderic the Great,
> the Ostrogitc king or Theoderid or Theoderic II, both
> being Visigothic kings.
>
> If any Germanics in Italy influenced the law it was the Lombards
> who developed a highly sophisticated legal system.
>
> Gothically
>
> Bertil
>
>
>
> Has gothic law influenced italian law ?


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