COMMON CHARGES

"Common charges" are often pictures of animals or objects. They tended to be less frequently used in early herarldry, in favour of the geometric shaped ordinaries and subordinaries. Some common charges were very frequently used and can be seen in many examples, such as the lion and the eagle, whereas others were very rare. Below are a few examples of charges that one might see. Readers should keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive. There are in fact a large of common charges used in heraldry of the middle ages. One should also be aware that after the middle ages, even more common charges were used which were not previously used. Some charges used in the Renaissance and Victorian Age for example were not used in the middle ages.

Quadrupeds - four legged animals, including many mythical animals

lion	dragon	horse	dog	bear

Diagram - Common charges - quadrupeds


Winged Animals - birds, bats, some mythical animals

eagle	falcon	crow or raven	dove	crane

Diagram - Common charges - winged animals


Swimming Animals - fish, aquatic mammals

fish	dolphin	escallop	octopus

Diagram - Common charges - swimming animals


Plants - trees, flowers, fruits, etc.

oak	rose	thistle	acorn	garb

Diagram - Common charges - plants


Other Objects - weapons, household objects, architecture, astronomy, body parts, etc.

sword	arrow	axe	battering ram	helm
stool	bucket	wheel	horseshoe	anchor
castle	tower	portcullis	church	pavilion
sun	increscent / moon	mullet	estoile
hand	head	hill	chalice

Diagram - Common charges - miscellaneous objects

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