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Dictionary of Vexillology: S (Shades of Tincture - Shoulder Patch)

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SHADES OF TINCTURE
SHAFT
SHAFTED
SHAHADA
SHAMROCK
SHARIFIAN FLAG
SHARK ALERT (or ALARM) FLAG (or PENNANT)
SHARK'S TEETH
SHEAF OF WHEAT
SHEAVED BLOCK
SHELL
SHERIFF’S BANNER
SHIELD
SHIELD-SHAPED
SHIELD OF DAVID
SHIFT COLOURS
SHIFTED TOWARDS
SHIPPING (or SHIPPING COMPANY) HOUSE FLAG (or PENNANT)
SHIP’S CREST
SHOULDER PATCH

SHADES OF TINCTURE

See Appendix III.

From left: Gules and Murrey; Azure and Bleu Celeste

SHAFT

1) See ‘shafted’ below.

2) A term that is sometimes used in place of lance or staff, particularly when a cavalry guidon is being carried – but see ‘lance’ and ‘staff 2)’ (also ‘guidon’).

SHAFTED

A heraldic term used when the wooden section of an arrow, lance or spear is of a different tincture to its head (and/or flights if appropriate) – but see ‘barbed’, (also ‘garnished’, ‘hafted’, ‘hilted’, ‘rogacina’ and ‘tincture’)

Flag and Arms of Strelice, Czech Republic; Flag and Arms of Pracejovice, Czech Republic

SHAHADA

A term (meaning “testimony” or “approval” in Arabic) that refers to the Islamic statement of faith which appears on several Arab flags, and is usually seen thereon in its shortened form - La allah illa Allah (wa) Muhammed rasulu Allah – or “There is no Deity but God (and) Muhammed is God’s messenger” (see also ‘takbir’and ‘zulfikar’).

National Flag of Saudi Arabia (Graham Bartram); Flag of the Asiri Regional Movement, Saudi Arabia (fotw); A Political Flag from Palestine (fotw)

Notes
a) The full term reads Ashhadu Alla Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammad Rasulu Allah or "I bear witness that there is no Deity other than Allah and that Muhammad is his servant and Messenger".
b) The use of a sacred text on the Saudi flag has resulted in many restrictions as to its use and appearance.

SHAMROCK

See ‘trefoil’.

Ensign of the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club (Clay Moss)

SHARIFIAN FLAG

An alternative term of the Arab Revolt Flag of 1917 – but see ‘pam-Arab colours’ and the note below.

Sharifian/Arab Revolt Flag 1917-20

The name derives specifically from the title of Hussein bin Ali, who as Sharif of Mecca was leader of the Arab Revolt

SHARK ALERT (or ALARM) FLAG (or PENNANT)

See ‘beach flag’.

Shark Alert Flags, Hong Kong (fotw), South Africa (fotw) and Australia (CS)

Please note that the Australian shark alert warning is the same as Flag Uniform in the International Code of Signals where the meaning is 'you are running into danger'.

SHARK'S TEETH

See ‘wolfteeth’).

Flag and Arms of Borovnice, Czech Republic (fotw)

SHEAF OF WHEAT

See ‘garbe’).

Flag of Sussex County, Delaware, US (fotw)

SHEAVED BLOCK

A nautical term for a pulley, the sheave being the revolving grooved wheel within the block and on which the halyard runs (see also ‘Appendix I’ and ‘halyard’).

SHELL

See ‘escallop’.

Flag of Sant Jaume dels Domenys, Spain (fotw)

SHERIFF'S BANNER

In English and Welsh Usage, a term for the armorial trumpet banner (or banners) used at the ceremonial installation of a county’s High Sheriff, and usually bearing his personal arms or those of his bailiwick – but see ‘bannerette’ (also ‘armigerous’ and ‘coat of arms 1)’.

Please note that in British Usage (including Scotland) a High Sheriff is now appointed as representing the monarch in all matters relating to the judiciary and to law and order.

SHIELD

1) In heraldry the shield (varying in detail and based on an item of defensive armour) is the basic element of all armorial bearings, and forms the field upon which the main heraldic charges are displayed. It is always blazoned first, and is often shown alone – an escutcheon (see also ‘Appendix IV’, ‘armorial bearings’, ‘banner of arms’, ‘blazon’, ‘coat of arms’ and ‘escutcheon’).

2) On flags as above, but the charge or charges displayed need not be heraldic in origin, and (and sometimes shown with weapons) is often said to symbolize a willingness to defend the country country (see also ‘French shield’, ‘Gothic shield’ with its following note, ‘Italian shield’, ‘rectangular shield’, ‘scalloped 2)’, ‘Spanish-style shield’ and the note below plus ‘triarched triangular shield’).

Some Examples of Shield Shapes (CS)

National Flag and National Arms of Kenya (fotw)

Please note that in English heraldry the shape of a shield is generally considered unimportant, however, on flags (and in some systems of continental heraldry) this shape may be exactly specified.

Arms and Flag of Bosnian Podrinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Željko Heimer)

SHIELD-SHAPED

See ‘ogival’.

Flag of France in a 14th Century image (Eugene Ipavec)

SHIELD OF DAVID

See ‘Magen David’.

Naval Ensign of Israel (fotw)

SHIFT COLOURS (or COLORS)

(v) In US, UK and some other naval usage, the procedure whereby a warship’s ensign is struck from its staff at the stern and hoisted at the peak as a vessel gets underway – see ‘peak 1)’ (also ‘gaff’, ‘ensign staff’, ‘naval ensign’ under ‘ensign’ and ‘strike’)

Please note that the practice began in the 18th Century due to a change in the design of the mizzen gaff-sail which made the fitting of an ensign staff impractical whilst underway.

SHIFTED TOWARDS

See ‘offset towards’.

Flag of Grande Comore, Comoros (fotw)

SHIPPING (or SHIPPING COMPANY) HOUSE FLAG (or PENNANT)

See ‘house flag 1)’.

House Flag of Altaras, Caune & Cie, France (fotw)

SHIP’S CREST

In British Royal Navy usage and in some others, a traditional term for the badge of an individual warship – see ‘rope grommet’ (also ‘badge 3)’, ‘emblem, military and governmental/departmental’ and ‘military crest’).

Badge/Ship’s Crest of HMS Warspite, Launched 1913 (Wikipedia); Badge/Ship’s crest HMS Sovereign (Wikipedia)

SHOULDER PATCH

See ‘flag patch’.

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