[gothic-l] Star, Quarterfoil & Swan Iconography

[Carlos Carvalho]

Well I personally think that the crescent could either have a religious
or laymen signification, necessarily different.
Didn't know the english explanation, seems interesting. Has anyone
found a piece of this glancing device ?
The story of the Bouillon familly is well known here as one portuguese
Bulhoes family (one of the earlier Bulhoes was St. Anthony) claims
to descend from these.
As a piece it indicates treason (they say because of its dark meat as
a contrast to the white feathers). It is then for a strong reason that a
family would allow to put it in their heraldry. I suspect this has something
to do with the fight Roderico / Witiza question. My future messages will
try to enlighten more this.

Regards,

Carlos Carvalho
(Maia - Portugal)


>
> "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



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