Orientation
Heraldic charges can be oriented in different directions. Obviously, roundels and annulets are unaffected by rotations and reflections, and other charges have different symmetries which render some of the positions identical to each other. In such cases, the simplest description is used. Since the key has no lines or points of symmetry, all 16 of the basic orientations are different, as shown below.
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palewise |
palewise reversed |
palewise inverted |
palewise inverted and reversed |
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fesswise |
fesswise reversed |
fesswise inverted |
fesswise inverted and reversed |
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bendwise |
bendwise reversed |
bendwise inverted |
bendwise inverted and reversed |
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bendwise sinister |
bendwise sinister reversed |
bendwise sinister inverted |
bendwise sinister inverted and reversed |
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Arrangements
Different arrangements of charges become possible when more than one is present. If three charges are placed on a shield, the default arrangement is "two and one". Any other arrangement would be specified. In a similar manner, charges in a bend are oriented bendwise by default, and those in a bend sinister are oriented bendwise sinister. Any other orientation would need to be specified, such as "three gouts palewise in bend".
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addorsed (back-to-back) |
confrontee (face-to-face) = combatant for rampant beasts = respectant for beasts in other postures |
addorsed and linked at base |
in saltire |
in saltire inverted |
reversed in saltire |
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three gouts, two and one |
three gouts, one and two |
three gouts in pale |
three gouts in fess |
three gouts in bend |
three gouts palewise in bend |
Charges