Lines and Partitions

Decorative lines are rare in early Cape Dutch heraldry, and their use was evidently popularised under British colonial rule in the nineteenth century. Today, all of the centuries-old lines, such as dancetty, engrailed, and wavy, and some of the 20th-century British/European innovations such as fir-tree-topped and wave-crested, are found in South African arms. In addition, the Bureau of Heraldry has modified some of the traditional lines to create new effects, and it has also developed some new lines and some interesting partitions of the field, inspired by South African architecture and scenery.

Modified Lines

Broad fitchy couped: this line, which suggests the outline of a minedump, has been used in the arms of the Goldfields Regional Services Council (BoH 1992) and the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality (2002).

Chevron coupled the peaks embattled: introduced in 1980, and used to suggest flat-topped hills. Its use has been largely confined to the arms of schools, and of local authorities such as the Overberg Regional Services Council (BoH 1992).

Dancetty the peaks couped: introduced in 2002, and also used in municipal arms, such as those of Blouberg, (which means "blue mountain") to suggest flat-topped hills.

Dancetty the peaks flattened (or embattled or crenellated): introduced in 1966, and used to represent flat-topped hills in the arms of local authorities and some schools, and a few personal arms, such as those of Willem van Wyk (BoH 1992).

Embattled in the form of minedumps: used in the arms of the Boksburg Transitional Council (BoH 1999), which administered a gold-mining town. In this line, the sides of the merlons are sloped instead of being vertical.

Embattled pointed: first used in 1983, an example being the arms of the seaside town of Ramsgate (BoH 1990), where it may have been intended to suggest the "gate"

Original Lines

Cupolaed: dating from 1984, this line was inspired by the cupolas of Indian temples. Its only use to date appears to be in the unregistered arms of Ebrahim Abramjee (1984).

Gabled or Gably: this line was introduced in the arms of the Institute of Real Estate Economists (BoH 1976), and was inspired by the gables which characterise the old Dutch farmhouses in the Western Cape. The number of gables is usually specified in the blazon. A variation, which might perhaps be called "gably counter-gably", is found in the arms of a military unit, the Paarl Commando (far right). In this, the gables alternate with inverted gables.

Nowy of a gable: a single stylised Cape Dutch gable, introduced in 1982. It is chiefly found in the arms of Western Cape residents and organisations, such as the Western Cape Regional Services Council (BoH 1988).

Ondoyant or Serpentine: an S-shaped line introduced in the early 1980s. It was called "ondoyant" until about 1988, when "serpentine" evidently became the preferred term. Example: Department of Water Affairs (BoH 1985). [Or is this a German line adopted by the Bureau?]

"Protea-topped" line: introduced in 1984, this is a chief invected of three (or four, or five), each point ensigned by a highly stylised protea flower. The example shown is the arms of Johann Coetsee (BoH 1984), the Bureau's chief artist who was responsible for many of its innovations.

Nowy of an Indian cupola: introduced in 1992, this is a single stylised Indian temple cupola. An example is the arms of Greytown Primary School (BoH 1992).

Nowy of a Karoo gable: introduced in 1988, this line is based on a stylised end-gable found in Karoo farmhouses. Example: the arms of Joseph Brooks (BoH 1991). There isn't a "Karoo gably" line under that name, but a similar effect has been achieved by making the line nowy of two Karoo gables, or by charging a chief with three Karoo houses issuant.

"Table Mountain" line: this line dates from 1992, and is blazoned as "in each flank a full and a half peak to base the half-peak against the respective edges of the shield", which creates a stylised outline of Table Mountain flanked by Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. Like the gabled line, its use seems to be largely confined to the Western Cape, as in the arms of the Western Cape Local Government Association (BoH 1997).

Partitions of the Field

Per bend (or bend sinister) inclined in the flanks fesswise: this line was used in the arms of Mpumalanga province (1996), and the uMngeni municipality (BoH 2004). In both cases, the partition is covered by a similarly shaped Azure and Argent bend which suggests water.

Per chevron the peak ensigned with a potent issuant: introduced in 1988, and used in the arms of a dozen special schools for mentally handicapped children, e.g. the Re Tlameleng School (BoH 1994). As the potent is derived from a medieval crutch, it has connotations of support which would be appropriate to these schools.

Per chevron embowed, the peak couped: used in the arms of the Amajuba District Municipality (BoH 2003), where it suggests the silhouette of Amajuba, the "hill of doves", scene of a battle in 1881.

Per fess of a trimount: introduced in 1981, and used in a variety of arms, e.g. those of Petrus Visagie (BoH 1989). Note the difference in form between this and "nowy of a trimount".

Per fess nowy of a trimount to base: another 1981 innovation, used i.a. in the arms of some technical colleges and technikons, where it fits in with the practice of using trefoils to represent the pupil- parent- teacher relationship. However, its first appearance was in the arms of the Council for Social and Associated Workers (BoH 1981).

Per fess urdy of three pallets: to date used only in the arms of Lourens du Toit (BoH 1981), which consists solely of a field divided in this way.

References/Sources/Links

South African Heraldry Website © Arthur Radburn