DNA-R1B1C7-L Archives

From:
Subject: [DNA-R1B1C7] Check out Genealogy Ireland,Irish Surname Research Ireland, Irish Family Tre
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2007 05:56:58 EDT

_Genealogy Ireland, Irish Surname Research Ireland, Irish Family Tree
Research Ireland, Irish Family History Scrolls Ireland,_
(http://www.curransheraldry.com/heraldry.php)

What is the origin of Heraldry ?
What is its true significance ?

A synopis by G.P. Curran © 2006

The word Heraldry originates in an old German word for army or host. It
also came to mean the person who announced an advancing army, or could identify
its fighting components - for example, its knights, their method of
fighting, and their record of success in the battlefield; important things for a
commander to know before commencing battle. The name Harald, or Harold, shares
this same origin.
The early Heralds came almost entirely from travelling troubadours, who went
from one place to another with songs and tales. They acted as messengers or
ambassadors and were free to come and go as they pleased, even across
national borders; their job being to find out what the Nobles and the Nobility were
getting up to. On their travels each troubadour wore a Tabard that was
emblazoned with their master's Coat Of Arms , and this guaranteed them safe
passage. An attack on a Herald was considered to be an attack on his master.
During battle the Herald would brief the Commander-in-Chief on the strength
of the opposition, moving between areas of action, identifying enemy battle
groups coming or going on the battlefield. They also performed the task of
identifying the dead and captured. Many a captured nobleman would attempt to
pass himself off as an ordinary soldier to avoid being held for ransom; it was
left to the troubadour to positively identify him.
The Heralds often acted as deputy to the Commander-in-Chief, making changes
to the battle-plan as the action moved quickly along. Out of this band of
learned people sprang three distinct professions, that of the modern Ambassador,
the Army Staff Officer, and the Herald or Heraldic Scribe.
The Genealogical Office in Dublin deals with Irish Family Crests, while the
College of Arms in London deals with English and Welsh Family Crests, and
the Chief Herald in Edinburgh deals with Scottish Family Crests.
The Heralds possessed the skill to both read and write, and they had the
ability to memorize large amounts of detail about the various lords and knights
they met. They were welcome at most castles they turned up at, bringing both
news and entertainment, telling tales about who they met during on their
travels.
They would record details of Family Lineage and Family Heritage, about
Knights and Lords and their Fortifications, and the Colours of Flags and Heraldic
Shields, sharing this information with other wandering Heralds. In this way
they build up records of Family Crests, Flag Ensigns, Heraldic Regalia, and
Blazons of Arms. Their job also entailed translating Family Mottoes, and
explaining the Ancient Celtic Origins of Heraldic Symbols. The early Heralds
were entrusted with writing up the Family History, presenting it in the form
of a Family History Scroll. They would also record the Family Tree and
Genealogy of important families, clans or dynasties. Their job also evolved into the
assigning of a Family Crest and Family Motto to a particular person.
The art of Heraldry moved from central Germany and into France, then William
the Conqueror took it to England in 1066AD, eventually it was carried into
Ireland by the Normans in 1167AD. Norman and English Coats-of-Arms, or Family
Crests, originally carried geometric designs on their Blazon of Arms. As
the centuries passed images of Lions and Stags and Castles and myriad pieces of
Weaponry were added.
The term Coat of Arms comes from the Sur-Coat, or Mantel, or over-coat that
was worn by a Knight over his body armour. Metal is a good conductor of
heat, so on warm days the armour would get very hot, and on cold days it could
literally freeze; hence the need for a large coat to cover it. This garment
became known as the Coat Of the Arms, as it was also decorated with the knight’s
Heraldic Emblems, or Insignia.
The Crest was worn on the very top of a Knight’s Helmet; maybe a boar’s
head, a stag’s head, or an eagle, or a gauntlet grasping a sword. The Family
Crest was there to extend his height and visibility on the Battlefield, while
clearly identifying him.
The Family Mottoe is an inspirational saying associated with a particular
family, and which subsequently found its way onto Family Crests.
The earliest known example of a Family Crest (Arms on a Shield shape) was
found carved on a tombstone in the Alsace Loraine region of France, it was
dated 1010AD.
Soon after Heraldry reached Ireland, it began to adopt images from Ireland’s
Celtic past. Images like the Oak Tree, which the Druids venerated as the
Tree of Life, or the Salmon of Wisdom, and the Serpent or Snake, which was
considered the protector of health.
Ancient Irish, Greek and Roman civilisations all regarded the Oak Tree as
being the Tree of Life, a belief that may have come from the vein-like patterns
on the back of every Oak Leaf. Inaugurations of Celtic Chieftains across
Europe, including Ireland, were conducted with the new chieftain embracing the
Oak Tree, whilst special priests, the Augurs, uttered ancient Druidic
blessings. The Gaelic for Oak tree is Darragh, and it has many derivations; many
places in Ireland are called after these Inauguration Oak Trees; places like
Derry, Derrymore, Adare, Magh Adhair, all commemorating places where an
inauguration tree once stood.
To Inaugurate meant to bore, or implant the Chieftain into the very land of
the Clan. The priests that performed this ceremony were called Augurs, and
the town of Augsburg in Germany points to the strong Celto-German origins of
the greater Celtic Family. In common with many Irish Family Coats of Arms,
many German Coats of Arms contain Oak trees and Serpents and Wolves.
The Ancient Irish referred to the Salmon as the Salmon of Wisdom. The clans
all had sacred pools, where priests would maintain salmon to ensure the clan
chief was endowed with wisdom. This tradition was brought to Ireland by a
Nordic tribe called the Ui Neil, and today the salmon still features in the
Family Crest of the O’Neill Clan.
The Serpent of Good Health has its roots in Ancient Egypt, where every
Pharaoh had the image of a spitting cobra on his head; to ward off spirits that
might do damage to his health. In Ancient Greece the serpent was similarly
regarded. Today, whenever a doctor is newly qualified they must sign the
Hippocratic oath, which embodies the image of a sword entwined with a serpent, a sign
known as the Caduceus.



************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at
http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

This thread:

• [DNA-R1B1C7] Check out Genealogy Ireland,Irish Surname Research Ireland, Irish Family Tre by