Your Crest symbolizes????

[BabyP]

Check this website to find out what your crest symbolizes and post here...... crest symbols

[preciousjeni]

I'm sure you meant symbols for Greeks, but I have to say...that site is odd! I checked out my family coat-of-arms and it isn't accurate!! What's that about??

preciousjeni

[Kevin]

Nor was mine.

[AlphaSigOU]

Ya hafta be very careful about coats-of-arms. If you really wanna be persnickety about it, unless it's been issued by Garter King of Arms (the agency in England that creates and issues coats-or arms) and inheritable (with proof) you're not entitled to bear them. It's like making the unfathomable social mistake of wearing a British school, university or military regiment tie when you're not entitled to wear it.

Likewise, fraternity and sorority coats of arms have specific symbolism that is known only to initiated members of the organization. In many cases, these coats of arms do not strictly follow heraldic design rules (metals shouldn't be next to metals, etc.)

The symbolism shown on the site are but generic descriptions.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
Ya hafta be very careful about coats-of-arms. If you really wanna be persnickety about it, unless it's been issued by Garter King of Arms (the agency in England that creates and issues coats-or arms) and inheritable (with proof) you're not entitled to bear them. It's like making the unfathomable social mistake of wearing a British school, university or military regiment tie when you're not entitled to wear it.

Likewise, fraternity and sorority coats of arms have specific symbolism that is known only to initiated members of the organization. In many cases, these coats of arms do not strictly follow heraldic design rules (metals shouldn't be next to metals, etc.)

The symbolism shown on the site are but generic descriptions.

You're just a big ol' game of trivial pursuit arentchya Chuck?

-Rudey

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

like a party in a bag!

[FSUZeta]

we can look up the "meaning" behind the meaning. thanks babyp!

[navane]

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
Ya hafta be very careful about coats-of-arms. If you really wanna be persnickety about it, unless it's been issued by Garter King of Arms (the agency in England that creates and issues coats-or arms) and inheritable (with proof) you're not entitled to bear them.

Yes, that's true. Don't forget that the rules for English crests and such can be different from other countries. My family is from Poland where heraldry ideas are different from Western ideas. Polish arms are "runic" in nature - that is, they don't typically feature the same symbols and pictures a French crest might. Such Polish arms are rarely quarted into sections or things like that. I'm no expert; but this is my understanding.


Whole groups of Polish and Lithuanian families may be entitled to bear a particular clan arms. But still, one is supposed to have letters showing that the arms has been granted to your family. This is similar to what you mention above.


I have an aunt in Poland whose family was granted arms in 1800 or so. We believe that the arms might have been granted by a foreign king after one of Poland's partitions (it got split between Austria, Russia and Prussia). Unfortunately, for the families who had been granted arms during those times, their accomplishment is looked down upon. This means that, though she bears papers, it isn't good enough because it was an "invader" who gave her family that crest.


Since she has since lost the papers somewhere, we're unsure of the exact date. I'm hoping we can dig a copy out of the Polish archives to find out. If it was *just* a bit earlier than we think, say 1790, then it would be a Polish king who granted the arms and it would be all good! Whew!


Anywayyyyyy, I digress.


I am fairly certain that many Greek Letter Organization crests are based upon many different sources and not necessarily just English ideas. (heh, I have yet to see one which looks Polish though! lol )

It's like making the unfathomable social mistake of wearing a British school, university or military regiment tie when you're not entitled to wear it.

Yeah! If I catch anyone who isn't a student wearing University of Bristol crest, you're gonna get it!!

<Kelly shakes her fist menacingly>

I'm just kidding....


.....Kelly

(I wear the university scarf 'cause I'm a girl and we don't wear ties....)

[RACooper]

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
It's like making the unfathomable social mistake of wearing a British school, university or military regiment tie when you're not entitled to wear it.

Very true.... I don't know how I would react to someone wearing the regimental colours on them without having been a member.... roughly equivelent to a non-member quoting your ritual is about the only comparision I can give.

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by RACooper
Very true.... I don't know how I would react to someone wearing the regimental colours on them without having been a member.... roughly equivelent to a non-member quoting your ritual is about the only comparision I can give.

Sounds about right to me... I occasionally wear an 'unofficial' regimental tie designed for the U.S. Air Force, since I have served in the USAF. (The tradition hasn't really caught on in the US military, except for a few elite units.)

Ties Of Honor (US regimental ties) - http://www.tiesofhonor.com/

(Note: no financial interest except for being a satisfied customer! )

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by Rudey
You're just a big ol' game of trivial pursuit arentchya Chuck?

Yep... which is one reason I hardly play the game anymore - too many people won't play with me 'cause I'll easily beat 'em! And I haven't tried out for Jeopardy! - yet!

[TriDeltaGal]

Well, I guess Tridelta's founders must have dated quite a few sailors back in 1888 since the trident stands for maritime domination...

The origins of "Tridelt... everyone else has" are so clear now!

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
. It's like making the unfathomable social mistake of wearing a British school, university or military regiment tie when you're not entitled to wear it.
.

Yes, that's true. That's why it isn't a good idea for guys to wear striped ties in the UK, unless the stripes belong to your school/university/regiment.

[AGDAlum]

Alpha Gamma Delta founder Emily H. Butterfield wrote the definitive book: College Fraternity Heraldry. It was published in 1931 by Banta (sold for $1.25) and I am fortunate to own a copy.

The jacket blurb says: "This book comes as the answer to a demand for an adequate book on fraternity heraldry, that is of many years' standing.

"The author is, undoubtedly, one of the leading authorities on heraldry in the United States.....For the fraternity or sorority planning a revision of its own heraldic device, for the group that plans a new coat-of-arms, for the college executive, this book is of inestimable value. It shoudl be on every college, fraternity, and public library bookshelf. It is the only authority available."

[Emily designed the coats-of-arms for TKE, ZTA, Theta Phi Alpha, and several GLOs no longer extant.]

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

That's awesome -- I had no idea! What a great lady.