Harp (heraldry)

Harp in the coat of arms of Kangasala

The musical instrument harp is in the Heraldry a crest figure .

The instrument is represented with a few strings and in the generally natural known forms. Mainly three variants are used here. The coloring is possible in all heraldic colors, strings are often colored differently. Occasionally a grimace or another figure (examples: devil , woman's body , eagle ) is attached to the instrument for embellishment. This modification is to be mentioned in the description of the coat of arms .

The Celtic harp in the Irish and British coats of arms and flags has become a distinctive national feature. On the Royal Standard , the British flag, the harp is adorned with a winged female body. The harp has been in the Irish coat of arms since Henry VIII (1509–1547) and the Brian Boru harp served as a model. In the coat of arms of Ireland the harp is often referred to as the David harp. A picture of King David with a harp is dismissed as nonsense. However, it is proven on the reverse of coins. Irish shillings from 1561 were minted with three harps. The coins of the Irish pound and today's Irish euro coins also carry a harp.

Examples

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  Shape example 1

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  Shape example 2

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  Shape example 3

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  Example 4 with figure

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  Altensteig-Spielberg

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  Jarvenpaa (FIN) with flight

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  Kangasala (FIN)

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  Coat of arms of Karl-Heinz Wiesemann , the Bishop of Speyer

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Gert Oswald : Lexicon of Heraldry. Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig, 1984
2. ↑ Johann Christoph Gatterer : Practical Heraldry. Verlag Bauer- und Mann'sche Buchhandlung, Nuremberg 1791, p. 78

Web links

Commons : Harp in Heraldry  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files