Shields
Above is a version of the Clan MacLennan Crest and the Shield, and both are a part off what‘s called the Achievement. The shield tells a story about the person or family who owns the Crest and is probably the most important part of the Coat Of Arms. The MacLennan Shield has a top blue panel - on a chief Azure - and on that blue panel is a deer’s head and two gold Crowns - stag’s head cabossed between two antique crowns. The lower portion of the shield is gold - Or - and has a red heart - heart Gules - between two black nails - between two passion nails conjoined in base Sable. So the correct reading of the Clan MacLennan shield is: Or, a heart Gules between two passion nails conjoined in base Sable, on a chief Azure a stag’s head cabossed between two antique crowns, all of the First. So, what does all this mean and why the funny language? The explanation for the MacLennan Achievement is written so that a long time ago, anyone, anywhere who is familiar with Coats of Arms would be able to understand just by the written description - the written heraldic language - the "blazon" - what the Coat Of Arms looks like. There were no cameras or large books where drawings of every Coat Of Arms could be stored so “Blazon” was created and is a strange looking mixture of English and French and sometimes Gaelic. It is not as precise as a picture of photo and five different artists may draw 5 different pictures of a Coat of Arms by reading the “Blazon” but all five Coat Of Arms should be similar. And there are families overseas in Scotland, Ireland, Spain and England who know how the read the language of Coats of Arms as they also have their own Achievements!
