POSTURES OF COMMON CHARGES (Attitudes)

Because common charges have a specific shape they could be oriented or presented in different manners or positions referred to as "postures" (or "attitudes"). This is seen most of all in animate charges such as animals but also to a lesser extent in inanimate objects such as weapons or tools. 

Quadrupeds

rampant - standing upright on one rear leg. It appears to be attacking with the other legs. Common for predators.
-similar: segreant (winged mythical creatures with wings)
salient - leaping. The front legs are off the ground. Front legs are perpendicular, rear legs are parallel. Not common in the middle ages.
-similar: springing (deer), forcene (horses), climant (goats)
courant - running. The animal's body is stretched out parallel to the ground. The front legs are both pointing forward and the rear legs are pointing back. 
passant - walking. Far front leg is up, near front leg and far rear leg are pointing forward (relatively parallel to ground), near read leg is pointing down. Common for non-predators.
-similar: trippant (deer)
statant - standing. All four feet are on the ground, all legs are visible.
sejant - sitting. Sitting, body leaning forward, front legs together and pointed down, all feet on the ground.
sejant erect - sitting up. Sitting, back is upright (erect), front legs are off the ground and appear to be attacking.
couchant - lying down. The body is on the ground. The legs are pointing forwards. The head is raised. Used in the middle ages mainly for dogs and deer (as well as the Sphinx), otherwise uncommon.
-similar: lodged (deer)
dormant - sleeping. The body is lying on the ground. The legs are pointing forward. The head is lowered. Not common in the middle ages.
affronte - facing the front. The animal is facing the viewer. Usually "sejant affronte" for animals. Humans are usually "statant affronte". Not common in the middle ages.
guardant - watching. This is combined with another posture (e.g. statant guardant). The head of the animal is turned to face the viewer but the rest of the body is in the normal arrangement for that posture.
-similar: at gaze (deer)
reguardant - looking back. This is combined with another posture (e.g. statant reguardant). The head of the animal is turned to face the opposite direction to normal but the rest of the body is in the normal arrangement for that posture.
contourné - turned in the opposite direction. This is usually combined with another posture (unless there is a default posture), for example "statant contourné". The entire animal is facing the opposite direction to what it would normally face for that posture. In other words a mirror image. Animals normally (by default) face the dexter, so "statant contourné" would be like statant except facing the sinister.

rampant	salient	courant	passant	statant
sejant errect	sejant	couchant	dormant
sejant affronte	passant guardant	passant reguardant	passant contourné

Diagram - Common charges - postures of quadrupeds


Winged Animals

close - The wings are closed. The animal is standing with it's wings held against it's body, facing dexter. Owls close are usually guardant (head turned towards the viewer). Bats close are affronte. Common for non-raptors.
-similar: statant (for long legged birds such as a crane)
displayed - The wings are stretched out to each side of the animal. If a bird is blazoned as simply "displayed" then it is usually viewed affronte with the head turned to the dexter.
rising - The animal appears to be taking off. The wings are away from the body. If a bird is rising, the blazon often indicates the positions of the wings (i.e. adorsed or displayed, elevated or inverted). 
volant - The animal is in flight. There are many to position the animal and it's wings. Traditionally it is pictured as if banking. Originally this was a synonym for rising. Later it was distinguished by the feet not being visible. 
adorsed - Both wings are behind the bird's body. As opposed to displayed where one wing is on each side of the body. 
in its vigilance - This is used for cranes. It is like statant. The head it up. One leg is raised and it is holding a rock. (See the previous picture of a crane.)
rousant, trussing, striking - The bird is in flight and appears to be diving at prey. It is facing downward and it's talons are open and pointing forward as if to grab at it's prey. Used or raptors (obviously).
affronte - facing the viewer. Although the body faces the viewer, the head is usually turned to the dexter.
elevated - used with displayed or addorsed. The wing tips are pointing upwards.
inverted - used with displayed or addorsed. The wing tips are pointing downwards.

close	close guardant	displayed	rising	volant
elevated and displayed	displayed and inverted	elevated and adorsed	adorsed and inverted	in its vigilance

Diagram - Common charges - postures of winged animals


Swimming Animals

naiant - swimming. The animal is in a line (or a general line in the case of dolphins), facing (swimming) to the dexter. Common poster.
naiant sinister - The animal is swimming to the sinister.
hauriant - The animal is in a line swimming upward.
urinant - The animal is in a line swimming downwards. The belly faces the sinister. Not common in the middle ages.
embowed - The animal's body is arched. The head and the tail point to the dexter.
naiant embowed / embowed fesswise - The animal's body is arched with the head and tail pointing to the base.
embowed-counterembowed - The animal's body is in a backwards "S" shape. Common posture for dolphins.
erect - This is used for mythical half fish creatures. The top part (usually from a land animal) is rampant. The bottom part (from a fish) is coiled in a loop so that the end of the tail ultimately faces rearwards.

naiant	naiant sinister	hauriant	urinant
embowed	naiant embowed	embowed-counterembowed	erect

Diagram - Common charges - postures of swimming animals


Others

tergiant - Viewed from above, as if looking down upon the animal from the air. The animal appears to be crawling. Usually used for non-winged insects, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans (e.g. lobsters & crabs).
volant-en-arriere - Viewed from above. The animal is flying. This is used for flying insects.
glissant - Slithering in a generally straight line, either from sinister to dexter or from base to chief. Used for snakes and snake-like animals (e.g. eels, some reptiles).
undoyant / ondoyant - Like glissant except undulating.
nowed / knowed - knotted. The animal is in an untightened knot.
eradicated - The roots are shown, as if the plant had been uprooted. Used for plants. 
couped - The plant looks like it has been cut off at the base (like a rose that has been cut from the bush along with it's stem or a tree that has been cut down at the base of the trunk).
fructed - The plant has fruit (or nuts) on it. It may also be used to indicate the tincture of the fruit on the tree.
statant affronty - Standing, facing the viewer. It is default posture used for humans.
mounted on a [animal] - The person is sitting on an animal (usually a horse).
-similar: riding a [animal] 
maintaining a [small object] - The animal (including humans) is holding a small object. Very common.
-similar: sustaining (holding up or leaning against a large object), brandishing (holding a weapon in a threatening manner)
brandishing a [weapon] - holding a weapon in a threatening manner. Usually used for humans but can also be used for other animals.
armed - wearing armour
vested - refers to the clothing

Default postures - Although with most plants and animals, one must indicate the posture, most inanimate objects have a default posture which need not be blazoned. These charges are normally found in the default posture and in these cases the posture is not stated. If the charges appear in any posture other than the default then the posture must be stated in the blazon. For example, the default for a battering ram is fesswise (aligned along the fess) with the head facing to the dexter. A bow is palewise, strung with the string on the sinister side. A crossbow is also oriented palewise, but in this case, it means that the bow of the crossbow is oriented fesswise, with the bow at the chief and the butt at the base and by default it is cocked. 

Creatures with no standard posture - Some animals have no standard posture in which case it is usually left up to the artist. For example, octopi usually have no specific posture noted in the blazon.

tergiant	tergiant	volant-en-arriere	oak tree eradicated	pine tree couped
nowed	undoyant	glissant	no standard posture	armed
statant affronty	mounted on a [horse] and vested in a cloak and cap	mounted on a horse and maintaining a [banner]	mounted on a horse and maintaining a [sword]	brandishing a [sword]

Diagram - Common charges - postures of other charges


Multiple Charges (usually animals)

combattant - fighting. Two predatorial animals facing each other in rampant postures.
respectant - Two non-predators facing each other in salient postures.
addorsed - Two animals facing away from each other (back to back). The term "addorsed" can also be used to describe the wings of a bird, in which case it has a different meaning. 
sustaining a [large object] - The animal is holding up an object with two paws (hands, talons, etc.)
-similar: mainta

combattant	respectant	addorsed	sustaining a [tower]	counter-passant

Diagram - Common charges - postures of multiple charges


Parts

armed - For animals, it refers to the tincture of their claws, teeth, beak and horns. For humans, it means that they are in armour.
langued - This describes the tincture of the tongue.
maned - This describes the tincture of the mane.
orbed - This describes the tincture of the eyes.
horned - This describes the tincture of the animals horns.
hooded - This describes the tincture of a birds hood.
vorant - Eating another animal or object.
vulned - Wounded and bleeding.
gorged of a [ring-like object] - There is an object around the animals neck like a collar. A crown is common.
cabossed - Only the animal's head (without the neck) facing the viewer.
-similar: a lion's face (for lions), a leopard's face (for leopards), a fox's mask (for foxes)
couped - Only the animal's head and neck. The neck is cut in a straight line (as if cut off). The head is facing the dexter.
couped close - Only the animal's head (without the neck) facing the dexter.
erased - Only the animal's head and neck. The neck ends in a jagged line (as if ripped off). The head is facing the dexter.

armed Or	hooded Or	gorged of a [crown Or]
orbed Or	horned Or	langued gules	maned Or
cabossed	couped	couped close	erased

Diagram - Common charges - special parts of charges

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