Lozenge (heraldry)

The lozenge in heraldry is a diamond-shaped rhombus charge, which means it is an object that can be placed on the field of a shield. It is usually a bit narrower than it is tall. In modern heraldry, it is different from a fusil, which is similar but even narrower, though this difference was not always clear in the past and is sometimes ignored today.

There are special kinds of lozenges too. A mascle is a lozenge with a hole in the middle that is also shaped like a lozenge. An even rarer shape is the rustre, which is a lozenge with a circular hole in the center. When a lozenge touches the edges of the shield all four corners, it is called a lozenge throughout. When a field on a shield is filled with a pattern of lozenges, it is called lozengy.

In civic heraldry, a lozenge that is sable is often used in places where people worked with coal to show this part of their history.

A lozenge-shaped shield is used in special ways too. It is often used to show the heraldry for women, especially unmarried women in Europe, because a regular shield shape was thought to be for people who could fight. These shapes are also used on monuments in churches to remember women and sometimes clergy members. Funerary hatchments, which are frames showing the shields of people who have passed away, are often put inside lozenge shapes for both men and women.

Types

In heraldry, a lozenge is a diamond-shaped symbol, usually a bit narrower than it is tall. It is different from a fusil, which is a very thin lozenge, much taller than it is wide.

A mascle is a lozenge with a hole in the middle shaped like another lozenge. A rustre, which is very rare, is a lozenge with a small round hole in the center.

Lozengy

The term Lozengy describes a special way to fill a shield or another shape in heraldry. It uses many diamond shapes, called lozenges, placed close together like seeds scattered across the surface. An example is found in the coat of arms of John Francis Cappucci from Canada, which shows lozengy voided. This means each diamond shape has a smaller diamond cut out from the center.

Main article: variation of the field
Main articles: semée

Examples

Here are some examples of how lozenges are used in designs. The term "lozengy" describes a field covered with many lozenges. For instance, a field might be covered with gold lozenges on a blue background, or blue lozenges on a gold background.

Lozenges also appear in flags. An alternative flag of Monaco uses lozenges, and a variant flag of Bavaria shows many white and blue lozenges arranged diagonally. Lozenges are also used in personal coats of arms, like those of Margaret of Parma, Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain, and Anne, Princess Royal. They can also be found in the arms of places like Borredà, a municipality in Catalonia.

Types

Lozengy

Examples

Lozenges on flags

Lozenge

Lozenge throughout

Mascle

Rustré

Lozengy

Nowy lozengy

Images

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