What is Heraldry?
Heraldry is defined as the "systematic hereditary use of an arrangement of charges or devices on a shield," known commonly as a coat of arms (Jaritz, n.d., para. 1). Originating in medieval times, the coat of arms has made its way through history to the present day. Many families of European descent have a coat of arms which may be seen on occasion, and is used within media such as movies (think of the four houses in Harry Potter). The heraldic coat of arms is a piece of history that was used for communication, and has endured time to be used in the modern world.
The Importance of Heraldry
Communication is key to pretty much anything. The variety of languages present in the modern world and the ancient world presents many challenges in communication. A universal language would ideally solve the issue, but at the same time would have to be learned by everyone.
A theory to resolve the issue is pasigraphy, a 'universal 'language' that is made up of symbols that depict the meaning of language. The ideal pasigraphy is "a symbolical writing of meanings, which with little or scarcely any trouble or study should be readily understood by people of any speech" (Carus, 1904, p. 567). Symbols and pictures are much more easily understood, even across language barriers.
Symbols can represent a large variety of meanings and traits. The symbols on a coat of arms are generally in representation of the position or family that owns it. The heraldic coat of arms is a communication technology because of its use of symbols and the methods in which the coat of arms was used throughout the period.
A theory to resolve the issue is pasigraphy, a 'universal 'language' that is made up of symbols that depict the meaning of language. The ideal pasigraphy is "a symbolical writing of meanings, which with little or scarcely any trouble or study should be readily understood by people of any speech" (Carus, 1904, p. 567). Symbols and pictures are much more easily understood, even across language barriers.
Symbols can represent a large variety of meanings and traits. The symbols on a coat of arms are generally in representation of the position or family that owns it. The heraldic coat of arms is a communication technology because of its use of symbols and the methods in which the coat of arms was used throughout the period.