Hourglass (heraldry)

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Hourglass in the coat of arms of Rountzenheim

The hourglass , also known as the hourglass , is a common figure in heraldry and is assigned a certain symbolism. She is one of the newer heraldic figures .

Form and use

The representation in the coat of arms or field , but also in the upper coat of arms , consists of a fine wooden frame in which the glass body with sand is inserted in the middle and is visible from all four sides, but is used heraldically in two dimensions. The glass body is formed from two cones (or similar spherical shape) connected to the tips. All colors of heraldry are possible, but gold is preferred.

The hourglass is often placed in the coat of arms together with the figurative death or the human skull. It is considered an attribute of death (Grim Reaper or "friend Hein"). The hourglass symbolizes the transience or finiteness of life.

  • Coat of arms of death in the Wernigeroder Wappenbuch (around 1475–1500)

  • Coat of arms of the Schaffhausen family Lang (variant 1)

  • Coat of arms of the Schaffhausen family Lang (variant 2)

See also

literature

  • Jens Holger Og: Lexicon of Symbol Language and Sign Studies: The Basic Signs and the Often Signs. Volume 1. Books on Demand , Norderstedt 2005, ISBN 978-3-8334-2001-6 , p. 144.
  • Johann Siebmacher, Hilmar Hermann Weber: Large and general book of arms. Verlag Bauer and Raspe, Nuremberg 1890. (Reprint Verlag Рипол Классик) ISBN 978-5-88134-235-7 , p. 134 and Plate XXVIII, Fig. 74.

Web links

Commons : Hourglass in Heraldry  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Johann Siebmacher, Hilmar Hermann Weber: Large and general Wappenbuch. Verlag Bauer and Raspe, Nuremberg 1890. (Reprint Verlag Рипол Классик) ISBN 978-5-88134-235-7 , p. 134