Monsters

Creatures depicted in heraldry that are not known to have existed as actual animals are frequently categorized as monsters. While some of these creatures have no basis in reality at all, some are based at least partially on some animal that does or did at one time exist.

For example, the image of the unicorn is said to have come about as a result of observations of wild antelope in Syria and Palestine. When viewed from the side, the two long horns of these animals gave the illusion of a single horn. Thus, the image of the unicorn was born.

camelopard	centaur (a centaur with bow and arrow may be termed a sagittarius)	cockatrice, a.k.a. basilisk	dragon rampant
dragon passant	dragon statant	enfield	gryphon segreant	gryphon passant
gryphon statant	male gryphon	merman, a.k.a. triton	mermaid (a mermaid with two tails is called a melusine)	opinicus
salamander	sphinx	unicorn rampant	unicorn passant	unicorn statant
wyvern	wyvern wings displayed	wyvern erect

Return to top of page