Hey everyone!

Expanding on my research into the proto-heraldic standards used by the Ancient Egyptians, I came upon some interesting images, here:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c93/mohamedhossam/Egyptian_Standards.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c93/mohamedhossam/Egyptian_Standards2.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c93/mohamedhossam/Egyptian_Standards3.jpg

Very interesting. It is also interesting to notice how there are what can be considered, "set" positions for different creatures, such as falcons. Also something, which I think can be seen as sort of analagous to blazons, is how if a standard was described for example as Hr-Nebu (Horus of the Gold) it would be understood to mean a falcon standing atop the hieroglyph for gold, and Ra-Harakhati, or for example the Crocodile of Sobek or the Ibis of Thoth would be represented with their certain attributes, in comparison to a regular ibis or crocodile.

It’s very interesting, and it shows that heraldry did infact evolve. It wasn’t just "invented" in the Middle Ages, as most people (not of course heraldry enthusiasts, I mean the general public who are fooled by bucket shops) may think.

Cheers,

Yes you are right symbols of identification had been in use long before the creation of wath we today mean with heraldry. These Egyptian standards reminds me a bit of Roman Legionary standards.

http://www.legionxxiv.org/signum/saalburgaquila1.jpg

A Roman Legion’s Eagle or Aquila.

http://www.legionxxiv.org/signum/legionxxiv_009.jpg

A Bull Imago. An Imago was a bust of the Emperor which had created the Legion. Smaller units like a Century carried a animal Imago corresponding to the Zodiac sign when it was raised.