Expanding Your Horizons with Charges

I am on three Society for Creative Anachronism heraldry groups on Facebook, as well as my kingdom heralds mailing list, and I have access to OSCAR (the online system heralds use to discuss devices, badges, and names in the process of being registered in the SCA). One of the very few things that disappoints me with SCA heraldry is the fact you see the same charges (the images on a device) over and over again. I cannot tell you the number of rabbits, paw prints, birds, domestic cats, and trees I have seen. Even the fleur-de-lis is in my opinion overly used in the SCA. Now it is not that most of these charges were not used in period. Trees and different kinds of birds were very common, and rabbits and cats were not unheard of on period arms. I have yet though to see period arms that use paw prints. And the fleur-de-lis is very, very common on period arms (and no doubt appeals to those with French and Norman French personas). They are though, in my opinion along with many other charges over used. Of course, that is merely my opinion and I do not slight anyone if they want a domestic cat sejant with three sparrows on their device (no offence if I am describing your device here). It is an appealing design. I merely think people do not realize just how many different charges they can use that would make their device or badge very unique, and not just one of many with a fleur-de-lis on it.

Many of these charges could be just as meaningful to a person as say a cat or a paw print. There is a list of rarely used charges in the Society for Creative Anachronism at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As1Y_2QwCSKBcC00RFBFUjA0OWNISkxWSy1hTTVzV2c#gid=0 Some of these charges are rarely seen in period heraldry which is probably why they are not common in the SCA, but others such as buckles were very common on period arms. Other common period charges on the list include spindles, padlocks, and various plants like garlic. If you want something unique, more easily registered, and something personal I seriously suggest looking over this list. Myself personally I was shocked at how rarely buckles were used in the SCA considering how common they were on period arms. Another charge that is not on the list, but that I have not commonly seen used in the SCA is the water bouget. Water bougets in the period arms rolls I have seen were as common as the fleur-de-lis, and to me a beautiful charge. In total there are only 56 devices and badges registered in the SCA that use water bougets.So if you are considering registering a device, or are considering releasing your registered device and registering a new one think things over and explore your options before you settle on yet another oak tree or cat statant. You may find something that is very unique and at the same time very "you."