Editing Heraldry (section)

====Shield====
{{main|Escutcheon (heraldry)}}
The primary element of a heraldic achievement is the shield, or escutcheon, upon which the coat of arms is depicted.{{efn-lr|The term "coat of arms" is sometimes used to refer to the entire achievement, of which the shield is the central part.}}  All of the other elements of an achievement are designed to decorate and complement these arms, but only the shield of arms is required.<ref name="CGH 57–61">{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|pp=57, 60–61}}</ref><ref>{{harvp|Boutell|1890|p=6}}</ref><ref>William Whitmore, ''The Elements of Heraldry'', Weathervane Books, New York (1968), p. 9.</ref>  The shape of the shield, like many other details, is normally left to the discretion of the heraldic artist,{{efn-lr|There are exceptions to this rule, in which the shape of the escutcheon is specified in the blazon; for example, the [[coat of arms of Nunavut|arms of Nunavut]],<ref>{{cite web |website=Government of Nunavut |title=About the Flag and Coat of Arms |access-date=October 19, 2006 |url=http://www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/English/about/symbols.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427062906/http://www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/English/about/symbols.shtml |archive-date=2006-04-27 }}</ref> and the former [[Bophuthatswana|Republic of Bophuthatswana]];<ref>Hartemink R. 1996. South African Civic Heraldry-Bophuthatswana. Ralf Hartemink, The Netherlands. Accessed October 19, 2006. Available at [http://www.ngw.nl/int/zaf/prov/bophutsw.htm NGW.nl]</ref> in the United States, the [[coat of arms of North Dakota|arms of North Dakota]] use an escutcheon in the shape of a stone arrowhead,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usheraldicregistry.com/pmwiki.php?n=Registrations.20060825L |title=US Heraldic Registry |publisher=US Heraldic Registry |access-date=2012-06-19}}</ref> while the arms of [[Connecticut]] require a [[rococo]] shield;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=State.Connecticut |title=American Heraldry Society - Arms of Connecticut |publisher=Americanheraldry.org |access-date=2012-06-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722165125/http://www.americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=State.Connecticut |archive-date=2012-07-22 }}</ref> the Scottish Public Register specifies an oval escutcheon for the Lanarkshire Master Plumbers' and Domestic Engineers' Association, and a square shield for the Anglo Leasing organisation.}} and many different shapes have prevailed during different periods of heraldic design, and in different parts of Europe.<ref name="CGH 57–61"/><ref>{{harvp|Boutell|1890|pp=6–7}}</ref><ref name="Woodward 54–58">{{harvp|Woodward|Burnett|1892|pp=54–58}}</ref><ref>{{harvp|Neubecker|1976|pp= 72–77}}</ref>

One shape alone is normally reserved for a specific purpose: the [[Escutcheon (heraldry)#Lozenge|lozenge]], a diamond-shaped escutcheon, was traditionally used to display the arms of women, on the grounds that shields, as implements of war, were inappropriate for this purpose.<ref name="CGH 57–61"/><ref>{{harvp|Boutell|1890|p=9}}</ref><ref>{{harvp|Slater|2003|p=56}}</ref>  This distinction was not always strictly adhered to, and a general exception was usually made for sovereigns, whose arms represented an entire nation.  Sometimes an oval shield, or cartouche, was substituted for the lozenge; this shape was also widely used for the arms of clerics in French, Spanish, and Italian heraldry, although it was never reserved for their use.<ref name="CGH 57–61"/><ref name="Woodward 54–58"/>  In recent years, the use of the cartouche for women's arms has become general in Scottish heraldry, while both Scottish and Irish authorities have permitted a traditional shield under certain circumstances, and in Canadian heraldry the shield is now regularly granted.<ref>{{harvp|Slater|2003|p=231}}</ref>

The whole surface of the escutcheon is termed the [[field (heraldry)|field]], which may be plain, consisting of a single tincture, or divided into multiple sections of differing tinctures by various lines of partition; and any part of the field may be ''semé'', or powdered with small charges.<ref>{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|pp=89, 96–98}}</ref>  The edges and adjacent parts of the escutcheon are used to identify the placement of various heraldic charges; the upper edge, and the corresponding upper third of the shield, are referred to as the chief; the lower part is the base.  The sides of the shield are known as the dexter and sinister flanks, although these terms are based on the point of view of the bearer of the shield, who would be standing behind it; to the observer, and in all heraldic illustration, the dexter is on the left side, and the sinister on the right.<ref name="Boutell 8">{{harvp|Boutell|1890|p=8}}</ref><ref name="Woodward 59–60">{{harvp|Woodward|Burnett|1892|p=59–60}}</ref><ref name="CGH 104–105">{{harvp|Fox-Davies|1909|pp=104–105}}</ref>

The placement of various charges may also refer to a number of specific points: nine in number according to some authorities, but eleven according to others.  The three most important are ''fess point'', located in the visual center of the shield;{{efn-lr|Because most shields are widest at the chief, and narrow to a point at the base, fess point is usually slightly higher than the midpoint.}} the ''honour point'', located midway between fess point and the chief; and the ''nombril point'', located midway between fess point and the base.<ref name="Boutell 8"/><ref name="Woodward 59–60"/><ref name="CGH 104–105"/>  The other points include ''dexter chief'', ''center chief'', and ''sinister chief'', running along the upper part of the shield from left to right, above the honour point; ''dexter flank'' and ''sinister flank'', on the sides approximately level with fess point; and ''dexter base'', ''middle base'', and ''sinister base'' along the lower part of the shield, below the nombril point.<ref name="Boutell 8"/><ref name="Woodward 59–60"/>