The clarion (also rest or sufflue) is a rare
charge in
heraldry of uncertain meaning and purpose. It originates from
England and is still largely exclusive to that country, though latterly it has been imported to other Anglophone nations. In
Canadian heraldry, it is the
cadency mark of a ninth daughter.
It is generally said to represent a kind of
wind instrument such as a
panpipe or recorder, but does not resemble the
trumpet-like
clarion known to modern musicians. It may also be intended as an overhead view of a keyboard instrument such as a
spinet. Alternatively it has been said to represent a '
rest', a device used by mediaeval knights to support a
lance during
jousting. In his Display of HeraldryJohn Guillim suggests that it may be a
rudder. 'Clarion' is also the name given to a stop on an
organ which imitates the sound of a trumpet.
The Meanings Behind the Symbols: Clarion: heraldic charge illustrated, and interpreted as meaning "ready for war." This meaning is compatible with the
idiomclarion call, meaning an irresistible summons (as to war). Accessed March 6, 2010.
Coats of arms of
Case Western Reserve University and its predecessors. A description of the arms used by the School of Applied Science / Case Institute of Technology (1942–1967). The clarion is in the 6th image. Accessed March 6, 2010.
References
Look up clarion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.