coat of arms

A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement which in its whole consists of: shield, supporters, crest, and motto. A coat of arms is traditionally unique to an individual person, family, state, organization or corporation.
Rolls of arms are collections of many coats of arms, and since the early Modern Age centuries they have been a source of information for public showing and tracing the membership of a noble family, and therefore its genealogy across time.

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