Coat of arms
From Freepedia
The term coat of arms is a modern colloquial terminology referring to what is properly termed an heraldic achievement, achievement of arms or bearings in traditional European heraldry.
Coats of arms are derived from the medieval practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments, and they consist of a number of defined elements, including a shield, supporters, helm, coronet, pavilion, banners and motto.
Contemporary usage may see these designs as carved or painted ornamentation on buildings and furniture, as printed or embossed images on notepaper and other documents and incorporated as part of a seal.
The Great Seal of the United States is often incorrectly described as being the coat of arms of the United States of America. In fact, in common with the national insignia of many republics, it does not conform with the standards of European heraldry, and is therefore not an armorial achievement.
Likewise, many countries such as Israel, Ireland, Lebanon, and Switzerland have national shields, which are often used as a component part of a coat of arms, though existing alone they are technically not.
At a national level "coats of arms" are generally retained by monarchist states, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Sweden and Denmark.
The Japanese equivalent, called kamon (often abbreviated "mon"), are family crests which often date back to the seventh century, and are still actively used in Japan today.
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