Or (heraldry) - Citizendia

In heraldry, or (from the French word for gold) is the tincture of gold, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people In Heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to Emblazon a Coat of arms. Gold, also called golden, is a Yellowish orange Color which is a representation of the color of the element In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a pattern of dots. Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it It is very frequently depicted as yellow, though gold leaf was used in many illuminated manuscripts and more extravagant rolls of arms. Yellow is the Color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M (long and medium wavelength Cone cells of the Retina about equally Metal leaf is a thin foil used for decoration It is also called composition leaf or schlagmetal. An illuminated manuscript is a Manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration such as decorated Initials borders and

The word gold is occasionally used in place of Or in blazon, sometimes to prevent repetition of the word Or in a blazon, or because this substitution was in fashion when the blazon was first written down, or is preferred by the officer of arms. In Heraldry and heraldic Vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of most often a Coat of arms or Flag, which enables a person to An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or State with authority to perform one or more of the following functions to control and initiate

Or is frequently spelt with a capital letter (e. g. Gules, a fess Or) so as not to confuse it with the conjunction or.

Or is said to represent the following:

Of jewels, the topaz
Of heavenly bodies, the Sun
Of metals, gold
Of virtues, courage and honor

See also