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[[File:Hyghalmen Roll Late 1400s.jpg|thumb|The German ''[[Hyghalmen Roll]]'' was made in the late 15th century and illustrates the German practice of repeating themes from the arms in the crest. (See [[Roll of arms]]).]]
'''Heraldry''' is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as [[vexillology]], together with the [[study]] of [[ceremony]], [[Imperial, royal and noble ranks|rank]] and [[genealogy|pedigree]].<ref>{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|p=1}}; {{harvp|Friar|1987|p=183}}</ref><ref>''[[Webster's 3rd new international|Webster's Third New International Dictionary]]'', [[Merriam-Webster|C. & G. Merriam Company]], Cambridge, Massachusetts (1960).</ref> Armory, the best-known branch of heraldry, concerns the design and transmission of the [[Achievement (heraldry)|heraldic achievement]]. The achievement, or armorial bearings usually includes a [[coat of arms]] on a [[escutcheon (heraldry)|shield]], [[helmet (heraldry)|helmet]] and [[Crest (heraldry)|crest]], together with any accompanying devices, such as [[supporter]]s, [[Heraldic badge|badges]], [[Heraldic flag|heraldic banners]] and [[motto]]es.<ref>{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|pp=1, 57–59}}</ref>
Although the use of various devices to signify [[individuals]] and groups goes back to [[Ancient history|antiquity]], both the form and use of such devices varied widely, as the concept of regular, hereditary designs, constituting the distinguishing feature of heraldry, did not develop until the [[High Middle Ages]].<ref name="CGH 1–18">{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|pp=1–18}}</ref> It is often claimed that the use of helmets with face guards during this period made it difficult to recognize one's commanders in the field when large armies gathered together for extended periods, necessitating the development of heraldry as a symbolic [[language]], but there is little [[support]] for this view.<ref name="CGH 1–18"/><ref>[[John Brooke-Little]], ''An Heraldic Alphabet'', Macdonald, London (1973), p. 2.</ref>
The perceived beauty and pageantry of heraldic designs allowed them to survive the gradual abandonment of armour on the battlefield during the seventeenth century. Heraldry has been described poetically as "the handmaid of history",<ref>{{harvp|Boutell|1890|p=5}}</ref> "the shorthand of history",<ref>{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|p= v}}</ref> and "the floral border in the garden of history".<ref>[[Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk]] & [[Don Pottinger|Pottinger]], ''Simple Heraldry'', Thomas Nelson (1953).</ref> In modern times, individuals, public and private organizations, [[corporations]], cities, towns, regions, and other entities use heraldry and its conventions to symbolize their [[heritage]], achievements, and [[aspirations]].<ref>{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|pp=19–26}}</ref>
==History==
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