In the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA), devices and
badges are used differently. Assorted Lessons in SCA Heraldry puts it this way:
A device is
defined as, “A heraldic design that uniquely represents the person or group
that owns it. A person who has not been awarded arms may register personal
armory as a device. This device will become arms when the person is awarded
arms”. A badge is defined as, “A piece of armory used by an individual or group
to identify possessions, retainers, members, or other items. A badge is
distinguished from a device, which is used solely by its owner.”
When it comes
to SCA branches like shires, baronies, principalities, and kingdoms there are
certain customs regarding devices. For example in the Kingdom of Calontir, only the rulers of a branch may
display the device. The branch herald as he or she is the rulers’ voice may
display the device on his or her tabard or baldric when performing his or her
duties. Other than those two people, no one else may display the device of a
branch. In the case of a shire, the shire herald may
wear the device on a tabard or baldric when performing his or her duties as a voice herald, and the group may display it. However, individual members may not display the device on their own. Devices are only to be displayed when the owner is present. This goes
for all devices whether group or personal. In the case of branches, the rulers or the groups are the owners. Customs in other kingdoms may differ, but for the most part, a device can only be displayed in the presence of its owner.
This is where
badges come in. A branch’s populace badge may be worn by any member of the group. It may
be placed on items the branch owns, and it may be displayed on branch banners
and insignia. This is why many SCA branches have what is a populace
badge. A populace badge is a badge designed specifically for members of the
branch to display on their clothing, banners, and other items. The gold
striking falcon on a purple background is Calontir’s populace badge, and that
is why you see it displayed on the fyrd’s tabards and on the kingdom’s banners.
Any member of the Kingdom of Calontir may display it. The populace badge of the Shire of Amlesmore is blazoned as, “Gules, a spearhead Or” which is a herald’s way
of saying a gold spearhead on a red background. It is a populace badge. Any one that is a Amlesmore member may use it to show he or she are a part of the shire.
If there is
something that can have heraldic art displayed on it, a populace badge may be used for
it. I have already mentioned banners and using badges as a way to mark what a
group owns, but badges may also be used for favors, livery, and many other
things. Livery is an excellent
use for a populace badge in my opinion. It can be used on tabards or surcotes for fighters, and anyone performing duties in an official way at a shire event could
wear a baldric, a tabard, or a surcote emblazoned with the badge. This would make
it easy for folks to identify who to ask when they have a question at an event. Badges can be put on banners, pennons, and standards. It can be used to
mark shire property. There are many uses for a branch badge. If you have a question about whether you can use a badge for something, by all means ask your kingdom principal herald.
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| Populace Badge of Amlesmore |
