Or (heraldry)

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In heraldry, or (from the French word for gold) is the tincture of gold, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a pattern of dots. It is very frequently depicted as yellow, though gold leaf was used in many illuminated manuscripts and more extravagant rolls of arms.

The word gold is occasionally used in place of Or 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 is preferred by the officer of arms.

Or is frequently spelt with a capital letter (e.g. Gules, a fess Or) so as not to confuse it with the conjunction or.

Or is said to represent the following:

Of jewels, the carbuncle and the topaz
Of heavenly bodies, the Sun
Of the four elements, fire
Of the days of the week, Sunday
Of the months of the year, July
Of trees, the cypress
Of flowers, the sunflower
Of the Zodiac signs, Leo
Of birds, the rooster
Of animals, the lion
Of fishes, the dolphin
Of virtues, Strength, purity, and constancy

The Heraldic Tincture Series
Rule of Tincture
Metals: Argent • Or
Colours: Azure • Gules • Purpure • Sable • Vert
Furs: Ermine • Vair • Potent
Stains: Murrey • Tenné • Sanguine
Other: Bleu celeste • Carnation • Cendrée • Orange