Common and Uncommon Armorial Elements

Someone recently asked if there was an listing of which charges had been used most or least often in the Society’s armory. It turns out that this isn’t an easy question to answer using the standard Morsulus armorial interface, but since I’ve imported that data into a SQL database I was able to put together a query that generates such a listing.

The data below is current as of the LoAR dated January 2018, which was posted in March. It includes over fifty thousand total registered armory items, including those which have since been released.

Some other important caveats result from the way this listing was constructed:

  • It includes all of the armorial description categories, so in addition to charges, the listing also shows the frequency of field tinctures, divisions, treatments, and arrangements.
  • This listing is based on the categories as coded in the armorial database, so it doesn’t distinguish between individual charge types that are grouped under a common heading; in other words, lions, panthers, domestic cats and their cousins are all grouped together under “cat.”
  • Some individual charges are grouped under one category but are considered to also conflict with charges that appear under other categories; in other cases, a single category includes multiple types of charges which don’t conflict with each other.

If you’re looking for uncommon charges you might also be interested in this listing of “Rarely Used SCA Charges” which is a few years out of date but is broken down by individual charges rather than armorial categories.

45,837 FIELD (field)
6,874 BORDURE (bordure)
6,686 AR (argent field)
6,416 CHIEF (chief)
5,108 AZ (azure field)
4,957 NO (fieldless)
4,498 BIRD (bird, whole)
4,481 PPALE (field division, per pale)
3,806 STAR (mullet)
3,739 SA (sable field)
3,592 OR (or field)
3,485 CRAC (cross, as charge)
3,221 VT (vert field)
2,824 GU (gules field)
2,806 ROSE (flower, rose)
2,697 SWORD (sword)
2,688 PC (field division, per chevron)
2,624 CAT (beast, cat)
2,454 SUN (sun, whole)
2,452 CRESCENT (crescent)
2,424 ROUNDEL (roundel, whole)
2,253 PFESS (field division, per fess)
2,244 CHEVRON (chevron)
2,023 DOG (beast, dog)
2,004 PBS (field division, per bend sinister)
1,709 QLY (field division, quarterly)
1,683 PU (purpure field)
1,644 BEND (bend)
1,640 DRAGON (monster, dragon)
1,579 FDL (fleur de lys)
1,574 BS (bend sinister)
1,527 FESS (fess)
1,527 PB (field division, per bend)
1,316 ARROW (arrow)
1,306 INPALE (arrangement, in pale)
1,301 CASTLE (castle)
1,256 BASE (base)
1,200 INSA (arrangement, in saltire)
1,175 ANNULET (annulet)
1,133 PALE (pale)
1,129 TREE-ROUNDED SHAPE (tree, rounded shape)
1,073 LEAF (leaf)
1,046 LW (wreath, laurel)
1,035 HEADDOG (head, beast, dog)
993 PSALT (field division, per saltire)
894 CUP (cup)
846 HEART (heart)
827 ORLE AND TRESSURE (orle)
806 GRIFFIN (monster, griffin)
791 BEAST-BEAR (beast, bear)
770 AXE (axe)
731 LOZENGE (lozenge)
714 GOUTE (goute)
689 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (9OTHER) (field treatment, seme, other)
684 MONSTER9WINGED (monster, winged)
676 BEAST-HORSE (beast, horse)
653 COTISES (cotises)
629 COMBAT (arrangement, creature, combattant)
606 HAND AND GAUNTLET (hand)
594 CROSS (cross, throughout)
592 FLOWER-THISTLE (flower, thistle)
579 GYRONNY (field division, gyronny)
561 HAMMER (hammer)
555 BOOK AND SCROLL (book)
553 FLAUNCH (flaunch)
552 BEAST-DEER AND STAG (beast, deer)
550 PILE (pile)
548 ESCALLOP (shell, escallop)
544 MONSTER-UNICORN (monster, unicorn)
534 HARP (musical instrument, harp)
515 ARRANGEMENT-IN FESS (arrangement, in fess)
509 KNOT AND ROPE (knot)
493 HEAD-BEAST,CAT AND LION (head, beast, cat)
487 SALTIRE (saltire, throughout)
484 ESTOILE (estoile)
477 FRUIT-NUT,ACORN (fruit, nut, acorn)
463 MONSTER-PHOENIX (monster, phoenix)
453 FOIL-3 (foil, trefoil)
444 SHIP (ship)
440 PCI (field division, per chevron )
435 FRET (fret)
433 PO (peripheral only)
430 LETTERS,RUNES AND SYMBOLS (symbol)
422 BEAST-RABBIT (beast, rabbit)
416 REPTILE-SNAKE (reptile, snake)
409 ARRANGEMENT9BEAST&MONSTER, (arrangement, creature, respectant)
406 DOLPHIN (fish, dolphin)
405 PHEON AND ARROWHEAD (pheon)
403 FIRE AND FLAME (fire)
388 CROWN (crown)
385 ER (ermine field)
385 FEATHER AND QUILL (feather)
381 FIELD DIV.-BARRY (field division, barry)
379 CHEVRON*7 (chevron inverted)
363 BOW (bow)
357 WING (wing)
357 PAW PRINT (paw print)
357 ARRANGEMENT-IN BEND (arrangement, in bend)
350 SUN-DEMI (sun, demi)
346 ARRANGEMENT-IN CROSS (arrangement, in cross)
345 FIELD DIV.-CHECKY (field division, checky)
323 SPEAR AND LANCE (spear)
323 MONSTER-SEA HORSE AND SEA UNICORN (monster, sea, ) |
322 INSECT-BEE AND WASP (arthropod, bee)
319 NEEDLE (needle)
318 HEAD-BEAST,DEER (head, beast, deer)
318 INSECT-BUTTERFLY AND MOTH (arthropod, moth)
318 FLOWER-TRUMPET SHAPE (flower, trumpet shape)
315 FLOWER-MULTI-PETALED (flower, multipetaled)
311 HEAD-BEAST,HORSE (head, beast, horse)
310 HEAD-BIRD (head, bird)
309 BEAST-BOAR (beast, boar)
306 TRIQUETRA (triquetra)
305 INSECT-DRAGONFLY (arthropod, dragonfly)
303 MASCLE AND RUSTRE (mascle)
302 TRISKELION (triskelion)
302 PEN (pen)
300 WHEEL (wheel)
299 PEGASUS (monster, pegasus)
298 PS (seme as primary)
297 ARRANGEMENT9BEAST&MONSTER,ADDORSED (arrangement, creature, )
294 BEAST-GOAT AND SHEEP (beast, goat)
291 FISH8OTHER (fish, other)
288 ARRANGEMENT-IN ANNULO (arrangement, in annulo)
287 FIELD DIV.-LOZENGY OR FUSILY (field division, lozengy)
285 TREE-PINE TREE SHAPE (tree, pine tree shape)
276 PALL (pall)
269 WINGED OBJECT (winged object)
261 BEAST-WEASEL AND OTTER (beast, weasel)
259 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (MULLETTY) (field treatment, seme, )
254 HEAD-MONSTER,UNICORN (head, monster, unicorn)
247 ARCHITECTURE (architecture)
244 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (ERMINED) (field treatment, ermined)
243 ANVIL (anvil)
238 STAFF (staff)
237 BELL (bell)
237 PLANT-SPRIG (plant, sprig)
236 TREE9BRANCH (tree branch)
236 FO (field only)
235 FOIL-4 (foil, quatrefoil)
232 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (GOUTTY) (field treatment, seme, goutty)
227 METC (monster, other)
225 LIGHTNING FLASHES (lightning bolt)
224 BILLET AND DELF (billet)
223 HORN AND ATTIRES (horn, creature)
222 ESCARB (escarbuncle)
221 FIELD DIV.9OTHER (field division, other)
214 MUSICAL INSTR-HORN AND TRUMPET (musical instrument, horn)
213 HEAD-MONSTER,DRAGON (head, monster, dragon)
213 ERMINE SPOT (ermine spot)
210 MONSTER-SEA LION (monster, sea, lion)
204 KEY (key)
200 AMPHIBIAN-FROG (amphibian)
200 ARRANGEMENT-IN BEND*3 (arrangement, in bend sinister)
198 HEAD-HUMAN SKULL (head, human skull)
197 HEAD-BEAST,RAM AND GOAT (head, beast, goat)
196 HEAD-BEAST,BOAR (head, beast, boar)
196 GORE AND GUSSET (gore)
195 REPTILE-TURTLE (reptile, turtle)
194 TOOL-SEWING AND WEAVING (tool, textile)
194 GARB (garb)
190 MOUNTAIN (mountain)
190 PILE*7 (pile inverted)
190 LIZARD (reptile, lizard)
189 BEAST-BULL AND BISON (beast, bull)
186 ARRANGEMENT-IN PALL (arrangement, in pall)
185 PALL*7 (pall inverted)
185 ARM (arm)
183 BEAST-MOUSE AND RAT (beast, mouse)
180 TRIANGLE (triangle)
180 CE (counterermine field)
178 PLANT-VINE (plant, vine)
176 FIELD TREATMENT-VAIRY (field treatment, vairy)
175 BEAST-SQUIRREL AND SKUNK (beast, squirrel)
174 BEAST-BAT (beast, bat)
174 MONSTER-MERFOLK (monster, merfolk)
169 FIELD DIV.-PALY (field division, paly)
168 CHAIN (chain)
166 FRUIT-GRAPE AND BERRY (fruit, berry)
164 COMET (comet)
163 ANCHOR (anchor)
158 BEAST9DEMI (beast, demi)
158 MONSTER-SEA9BEAST,OTHER (monster, sea, other)
156 TOOL9OTHER (tool, other)
154 HUMAN FIGURE (human figure)
152 HEAD-BEAST,BEAR (head, beast, bear)
152 HEAD-BEAST,BULL AND BISON (head, beast, bull)
151 PE (pean field)
151 GATE AND DOOR (gate)
151 FIELD DIV.-PER PALL*7 (field division, per pall inverted)
147 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (CRUSILLY) (field treatment, seme, )
146 FRUIT-POMEGRANATE (fruit, pomegranate)
146 FIELD DIV.-BENDY (field division, bendy)
145 MONSTER-HUMANOID (monster, humanoid)
143 FLOWER-FEW PETALS (flower, few petals)
143 MONSTER-TYGER (monster, tyger)
142 CANDLE (candle)
140 CHESS PIECE (chess piece)
140 FIELD DIV.-PER PALL (field division, per pall)
139 JEWELS AND JEWELRY (jewelry)
138 BEAST-HEDGEHOG (beast, hedgehog)
137 CAULDRON AND COOKING POT (cauldron)
135 SPARKS (sparks)
132 CALTRAP (caltrap)
132 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (DE-LYS) (field treatment, seme, de lys)
132 SADDLERY AND TACK (saddlery)
132 ARACHNID-SCORPION (arthropod, scorpion)
132 GRENADE (grenade)
130 FLOWER-CUP SHAPE (flower, cup shape)
130 WREATH,OTHER (wreath, not laurel)
128 KRAKEN (mollusk, octopus)
127 BALANCE (balance)
127 HELMET (helmet)
126 HORSESHOE (horseshoe)
125 FRUIT-APPLE (fruit, apple)
125 POLE-AXE (pole axe)
125 ES (erminois field)
124 MUSICAL INSTR-LUTE (musical instrument, lute)
121 TRIDENT (trident)
119 HEAD-HUMAN (head, human)
119 MONSTER-PITHON (monster, pithon)
117 FRUIT9AND VEGETABLE-OTHER (fruit, other)
117 LAMP AND LANTERN (lamp)
117 BEAST-BADGER (beast, badger)
115 ARACHNID-SPIDER (arthropod, spider)
114 FORK AND SPOON (tool, eating)
114 MACE AND MORNINGSTAR (mace)
113 ARRANGEMENT-IN PALL*7 (arrangement, in pall inverted)
113 LEG AND FOOT-BEAST (leg, beast)
113 BEAST-ELEPHANT (beast, elephant)
113 ARRANGEMENT-IN CHEVRON (arrangement, in chevron)
112 COMPASS ROSE (compass rose)
112 CLOTHING-HAT (clothing, headgear)
111 SALTIRE*9 (saltire, as charge)
111 CLOUDS AND WIND (cloud)
110 MONSTER-PANTHER (monster, panther)
109 MONSTER9MULTI-HEADED (monster, multiheaded)
108 HEAD-WEAPON (head, weapon)
107 MUSICAL INSTR-RECORDER (musical instrument, recorder)
106 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (ESTENCELY) (field treatment, seme, )
105 ESCUTCHEON (escutcheon)
105 LABEL (label)
103 TORCH (torch)
101 SEAWOLF (monster, sea, wolf)
98 LEG AND FOOT-BIRD (leg, bird)
97 DRINKING HORN (drinking horn)
94 FISH-SEAHORSE (fish, seahorse)
93 FIELD TREATMENT-MASONED (field treatment, masoned)
91 FIELD DIV.-BENDY*3 (field division, bendy sinister)
90 MONSTER9DEMI (monster, demi)
87 MASK (mask)
86 SCISSORS AND SHEARS (shear)
86 ARRANGEMENT-IN ESTOILE (arrangement, in estoile)
85 ARRANGEMENT-IN ORLE (arrangement, in orle)
80 BOTTLE AND FLASK (bottle)
80 FISH-WHALE (fish, whale)
80 SPINDLE (spindle)
79 FIELD DIV.-CHEVRONELLY (field division, chevronelly)
79 ARRANGEMENT9HEAD,RESPECTANT (arrangement, head, respectant)
79 HOURGLASS (hourglass)
78 FOODSTUFF (foodstuff)
78 FLOWER-IRIS AND ORCHID (flower, iris)
77 MAUNCH (maunch)
76 PLANT-WHEAT (plant, wheat)
75 FISH-LOBSTER AND CRAB (arthropod, lobster)
75 CLOTHING-BOOT AND SHOE (clothing, footgear)
74 EYE (eye)
74 BARREL (barrel)
72 MONSTER-SEA DRAGON AND SEA GRIFFIN (monster, sea, )
71 CARTOUCHE (cartouche)
70 TOOL-AGRICULTURAL (tool, agricultural)
69 BEACON AND BRAZIER (beacon)
67 FLEAM (fleam)
66 HEAD-JESSANT-DE-LYS (head, jessant de lys)
66 MOLLUSK-SNAIL (mollusk, snail)
65 WATER BOUGET (water bouget)
65 LEG AND FOOT-HUMAN (leg, human)
65 HEAD-MONSTER,GRIFFIN (head, monster, griffin)
64 FIELD TREATMENT-SEME (ROUNDELS) (field treatment, seme, )
64 MORTAR AND PESTLE (mortar & pestle)
64 BEEHIVE (beehive)
64 MUSICAL INSTR-DRUM (musical instrument, drum)
64 SHELL (shell, other)
63 FIELD DIV.-VETU (field division, vetu)
63 BEAST-MONKEY (beast, monkey)
63 ARRANGEMENT9HEAD,ADDORSED (arrangement, head, addorsed)
62 MONSTER-ANTELOPE AND YALE (monster, antelope)
62 TREES-MULTIPLE (tree, multiple)
61 MONSTER-SEA SERPENT (monster, sea, serpent)
61 MONSTER9MULTI-BODIED (monster, multibodied)
61 MONSTER-CENTAUR (monster, centaur)
58 BEASTETC (beast, other)
58 ARRANGEMENT-IN PILE (arrangement, in pile)
57 TOOL-ARTISTIC (tool, artistic)
56 EWER AND PITCHER (ewer)
56 CALIPER AND COMPASS (caliper)
56 INSECT-BEETLE (arthropod, beetle)
56 TOOL-CARPENTRY (tool, carpentry)
54 NAIL (nail)
52 THUNDER BOLT (thunderbolt)
52 WOLF-TOOTH (wolf’s tooth)
52 POLYGON (polygon)
51 LURE (lure, hawk’s)
51 FUNGUS-MUSHROOM (fungus)
51 SHIP-PARTS (ship, part)
50 CARD PIQUE (card pique)
50 FLOWER-MULTI-FLORETED (flower, multifloreted)
50 TOOL-ASTRONOMICAL (tool, astronomical)
50 BEAST-CAMEL (beast, camel)
50 PLANT-HOLLY AND MISTLETOE (plant, holly)
49 CLARION AND REST (clarion)
48 TREE-PALM TREE SHAPE (tree, palm tree shape)
48 PAVILION AND TENT (pavilion)
47 CANDLESTICK (candlestick)
46 MONSTER-ENFIELD (monster, enfield)
45 GYRON (gyron)
45 MILLRIND (millrind)
44 DICE (die)
44 BEAST-SEAL AND SEA LION (beast, seal)
43 FIELD TREATMENT-SCALY (field treatment, scaly)
43 ARRANGEMENT-IN CHEVRON*7 (arrangement, in chevron inverted)
43 PILLOW AND CUSHION (pillow)
42 FURISON (furison)
42 FIELD TREATMENT-POTENTY (field treatment, potenty)
42 PLANT-HERB (plant, herb)
41 LEG AND FOOT-MONSTER (leg, monster)
41 RAINBOW (rainbow)
41 TREE9STUMP (tree, stump)
39 PLANT-REED (plant, reed)
39 FLAG AND PENNON (flag)
39 FRUIT-PINECONE (fruit, pinecone)
39 PLANT-THORN (plant, thorn)
37 SPIDER WEB (spider web)
37 CLOTHING-POUCH (clothing, pouch)
37 FAN (fan)
37 SUNBURST (sunburst)
36 BONE (bone)
36 FOIL-6 (foil, sexfoil)
36 TOY (toy)
35 MONSTER-SPHINX (monster, sphinx)
35 SICKLE AND SCYTHE (sickle)
35 CANTON (canton)
35 FRUIT-STRAWBERRY (fruit, strawberry)
34 TORSE (torse)
34 FLOWER9BOUQUET (flower, bouquet)
34 GURGES (gurges)
33 BUCKLE (buckle)
33 FLEECE AND HIDE (hide)
32 HEAD-BEAST,RABBIT (head, beast, rabbit)
32 HEAD-MONSTER9OTHER (head, monster, other)
32 HEAD-BEAST,ELEPHANT (head, beast, elephant)
32 CANNON,GUN AND ROCKET (gun)
31 BIRD9DEMI (bird, demi)
30 ALEMBIC AND RETORT (alembic)
30 PLANT9OTHER (plant, other)
29 BEAST-HIPPOPOTAMUS AND RHINOCEROS (beast, ) |
28 PLANT-GARLIC AND ONION (plant, onion)
27 HEAD-BEAST9SKULL (head, beast, skull)
27 ROCK (rock)
27 HEAD-BEAST,BADGER (head, beast, badger)
27 FIELD TREATMENT-PLUMMETTY (field treatment, plumetty)
26 MONSTER-KNOTTED (monster, knotted)
26 BASKET (basket)
25 PLANT-HEATHER (plant, heather)
25 WINDMILL (windmill)
23 MUSICAL INSTR-BAGPIPES (musical instrument, bagpipe)
23 NESSELBLATT (nesselblatt)
23 QUIVER (quiver)
23 ROUNDEL-DEMI (roundel, demi)
22 CLOTHING-FOOL’S MOTLEY (clothing, fool’s motley)
21 TOOTH (tooth)
21 ABACUS (abacus)
20 HOOK (hook)
20 TAIL-BEAST AND MONSTER (tail)
20 ARRANGEMENT-IN MASCLE (arrangement, in mascle)
19 INKHORN AND INKWELL (inkhorn)
19 CLOTHING-BELT (clothing, belt)
19 MIRROR (mirror)
19 KEYSTONE (keystone)
19 SIEGE ENGINE (siege engine)
18 MANACLE (manacle)
18 LOCK (lock)
18 FER-A-LOUP (fer a loup)
18 WAGON (wagon)
16 MUSICAL INSTR-DULCIMER (musical instrument, dulcimer)
16 PLANT-FERN (plant, fern)
16 FIELD TREATMENT-PAPELONNY (field treatment, papelonny)
16 HEAD-BEAST9OTHER (head, beast, other)
16 HEAD-BEAST,MARTEN (head, beast, marten)
16 MUSICAL INSTR-PAN PIPE (musical instrument, pan pipe)
15 HEAD-REPTILE (head, reptile)
15 ARMOR (armor)
15 MONSTER-MANTICORE (monster, manticore)
15 CHEST AND BOX (box)
14 BEAST-ANTEATER (beast, anteater)
14 FRUIT-NUT (fruit, nut, not acorn)
14 PEN BOX (pen box)
13 RIBBON (ribbon)
13 BROOM (broom)
13 PIPE-SMOKING (pipe, smoking)
13 INSECT-MANTIS (arthropod, mantis)
13 FOOTPRINT (footprint)
13 LADDER (ladder)
13 BODY-PARTS (body part)
12 TREE-ELONGATED SHAPE (tree, elongated shape)
12 HEAD-MONSTER,TYGER (head, monster, tyger)
12 FOIL-8 (foil, octofoil)
12 FIELD TREATMENT-MAILED (field treatment, mailed)
12 CHAIR (chair)
11 TRIPOD AND TRIVET (tripod)
11 CORNUCOPIA (cornucopia)
10 KEYHOLE (keyhole)
10 SALTCELLAR (saltcellar)
10 WELL (well, water)
10 MOUSTACHE (moustache)
10 CLOTHING-OTHER (clothing, other)
9 CLOTHING-GOWN AND ROBE (clothing, gown)
9 WAVE (wave)
8 FIELD TREATMENT-HONEYCOMBED (field treatment, honeycombed)
8 MUSICAL INSTR-PORTATIVE ORGAN (musical instrument, organ)
8 INSECT-ANT (arthropod, ant)
8 CRAMPET (crampet)
7 CRUTCH (crutch)
7 EYEGLASSES (eyeglasses)
7 MUSICAL INSTR-ZILS (musical instrument, zils)
7 CLAW (claw)
6 PRESS (press)
6 REPTILE-WORM (reptile, worm)
6 PLANT-CACTUS (plant, cactus)
6 TOOL-WRITING AND PRINTING (tool, writing)
5 TABLE (table)
5 FISH-RAY (fish, ray)
5 STREAM (stream)
5 DRAGON SCALE (dragon scale)
4 HEAD-FISH (head, fish)
4 HELM CREST (helm crest)
4 ARRANGEMENT-IN TRIQUETRA (arrangement, in triquetra)
4 MONSTER-BOG BEAST (monster, bog beast)
3 PLANT-STRAWBERRY (plant, strawberry)
3 ARRANGEMENT-IN ARCH (arrangement, in arch)
3 CRADLE (cradle)
3 BATTERING RAM (battering ram)
3 RIVET (rivet)
3 QUINTAIN (quintain)
3 MOON (moon)
3 CHARGE TREATMENT-SEME (9OTHER) (charge treatment, seme, other)
2 BC (bleu celeste field)
2 FISH-ANGELFISH (fish, angelfish)
2 FOIL-7 (foil, septfoil)
2 CHARGE TREATMENT-SEME (ERMINED) (charge treatment, seme, )
2 CHARGE TREATMENT-SEME (MULLETTY) (charge treatment, seme, )
2 COFFIN (coffin)
2 AMMO (ammunition)
2 CHARGE TREATMENT-SEME (ROUNDELS) (charge treatment, seme, )
1 SEED (seed)
1 AXLE BRACKET (axle bracket)
1 FIELD TREATMENT-MASCULY (field treatment, mascully)
1 HANDLE (handle)
1 SLING (sling)
1 CHARGE TREATMENT-MASONED (charge treatment, masoned)
1 CHARGE TREATMENT-SEME (DE-LYS) (charge treatment, seme, de lys)
1 CHARGE TREATMENT-SEME (GOUTTY) (charge treatment, seme, goutty)
1 TONGUE-BEAST AND MONSTER (tongue)
1 UMEBACHI (umebachi)

You can generate an up-to-date version of this table by importing the armorial data into a MySQL database and then running this query:

select count( distinct oanda_record.id ) as count, heading, cat_name from oanda_record left join oanda_armory on oanda_id=oanda_record.id left join category on category_id = category.id where oanda_type in ( ‘d’, ‘D?’, ‘j’, ‘B’, ‘D’, ‘b’, ‘BD’ ) group by 2 order by 1 desc;

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *