At the Château de Fayet, we saw the most ornate coat of arms. So wide as to bridge the top of a well, the classic shield is in the center. Included also is the date the château
was built (1664), laurel wreaths, and two menacing faces.
Coats of arms, les armoiries in French, started out as a way to distinguish a knight covered in metal armor. Each knight had his own, then the idea spread far and wide to villages, states, and churches. Some think that this way of quick recognition was ancestor to the modern logo.
The designs might be based on the family name, allegiances, or symbols of power and strength. This
one over a posh townhouse in La Couvertoirade was for the family Grailhe, their name similar to the two crows featured on it.
Which brings me to the present. What design would serve as one’s own coat of arms so that others could recognize you? Would it be based on family name, occupation, hobby, or a symbol of a treasured value? And once the design was made, what would you do—put it over your door, on the sidewalk in front, or hide it from view in the closet?