Supporter

In heraldry, supporters, sometimes referred to as attendants, are figures or objects usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up.

Often, as in other elements of heraldry, these can have local significance, such as the fisherman and the tin miner granted to Cornwall County Council, or a historical link; such as the lion of England and unicorn of Scotland in the two variations of the coat of arms of the United Kingdom.

The coat of arms of the Republic of the Congo provide an extremely unusual example of two supporters issuing from behind the shield.

[4] While such single supporters are generally eagles[5] with one or two heads, there are other examples, including the cathedra in the case of some Canadian cathedrals.

[7] The context of the application of supporters may vary, although entitlement may be considered conditioned by grant of a type of augmentation of honour by admission in orders of chivalry or by heraldic authorities, such as in the case of traditional British heraldry.

[8] Older writers trace origins of supporters to their usages in tournaments, where the shields of the combatants were exposed for inspection, and guarded by their servants or pages disguised in fanciful attire.

However, medieval Scottish seals afford numerous examples in which the 13th and 14th century shields were placed between two creatures resembling lizards or dragons.

In the United Kingdom, supporters are typically an example of special royal favour, granted at the behest of the sovereign.