View source for Or (heraldry)

{{short description|Metal (tincture of gold) in heraldry}}
{{Infobox heraldic tincture
|title                   = Or
|class                   = Metal
|non-heraldic_equivalent = [[Gold (color)|Gold]] or [[Yellow|yellow]]
|hatching                = {{Hatching colors|Or}}
|hex                     = FFFF00
|tricking                = o., or.
|gemstone                = [[Chemistry:Topaz|Topaz]]
|planet                  = [[Astronomy:Sun|Sun]]
|virtue = Faith; obedience, and gentility
}}
In heraldry, '''or''' (/ɔːʁ/; French for "[[Chemistry:Gold|gold]]") is the tincture of [[Gold (color)|gold]] and, together with [[Argent|argent]] (silver), belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". In [[Engineering:Engraving|engraving]]s and line drawings, it is hatched using a field of evenly spaced dots.  It is very frequently depicted as [[Yellow|yellow]], though [[Chemistry:Gold leaf|gold leaf]] was used in many [[Engineering:Illuminated manuscript|illuminated manuscript]]s and more extravagant rolls of arms.

The word "gold" is occasionally used in place of "or"<!--quotation marks to indicate use/mention distinction--> in blazon, sometimes to prevent repetition of the word "or" in a blazon, or because this substitution was in fashion when the blazon was first written down, or when it is preferred by the [[Social:Officer of arms|officer of arms]].<ref>{{cite book|first1= Thomas|last1= Woodcock|first2= John Martin|last2= Robinson|title= The Oxford Guide to Heraldry|location= Oxford|year= 1988|publisher= [[Organization:Oxford University Press|Oxford University Press]]|isbn= 0-19-211658-4|page=54}}</ref> The use of "gold" for "or" (and "silver" for "argent") was a short-lived fashion amongst certain heraldic writers in the mid-20th century who attempted to "demystify" and popularise the subject of heraldry.

"Or" is sometimes spelled with a capital letter (e.g. "Gules, a fess Or") so as not to confuse it with the conjunction "or".<ref>See Blazon: Capitalization</ref> However, this incorrect heraldic usage is not met with in standard reference works such as Bernard Burke's ''General Armory'', 1884 and [[Company:Debrett's|Debrett's]] ''Peerage''. Fox-Davies advocated leaving all tinctures uncapitalized. A correctly stated blazon should eliminate any possible confusion between the tincture ''or'' and the conjunction "or" (which is rare in blazons in any case), certainly for the reader with a basic competence in heraldry. 

==Poetic meanings==
The different tinctures are sometimes said to be associated with special meanings and virtues, and with certain elements and precious stones, although these associations have been mostly disregarded by serious heraldists.<ref>{{cite book|first1= Thomas|last1= Woodcock|first2= John Martin|last2= Robinson|title= The Oxford Guide to Heraldry|location= Oxford|year= 1988|publisher= [[Organization:Oxford University Press|Oxford University Press]]|isbn= 0-19-211658-4|page=53}}</ref> Sources vary, but or is usually said to represent the following:

* Of jewels, the [[Chemistry:Topaz|topaz]]<ref>{{cite book | last = Elvin | first = Charles Norton | location = London | publisher = Kent | year = 1889 | title = A Dictionary of Heraldry | url = https://archive.org/details/cu31924029796426 |page=124}}</ref>
* Of heavenly bodies, the [[Astronomy:Sun|Sun]]<ref>Elvin (1889), p. 117.</ref>
* Of metals, [[Chemistry:Gold|gold]]
* Of virtues, faith<ref>See the table in Woodcock & Robinson (1988), p. 54, compiled from G. Leigh's ''Accedence of Armory'' (1562) and Sir John Ferne's ''The Glory of Generositie'' (1586).</ref> or obedience and gentility<ref>Woodcock & Robinson (1988), p. 54, attributed to Johannes de Bado Aureo.</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Blason fam fr Gervais.svg|Arms of Gervais family, France
File:Blason fam fr Chemillé3.svg|Arms of Chemillé, France
File:Aurskog-Høland komm.svg|Coat of arms for the municipality of Aurskog-Høland (kommune), Norway, "Or, a lobster haurient sable"
File:Blason ville fr Chantemerle-les-Blés (Drôme).svg|Arms of Chantemerle-les-Blés, France
File:Blason département fr Puy-de-Dôme.svg|Arms of Puy-de-Dôme, France
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Gold (color)]]
*Old Gold

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Woodcock, Thomas and John Martin Robinson (1988). ''The Oxford Guide to Heraldry''. Oxford: University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-211658-4}}

{{Heraldry}}
[[Category:Shades of yellow]]
[[Category:Gold]]

{{Sourceattribution|Or (heraldry)}}