The next step in this "Heraldry" adventure was to use Burke and look up the surname JONES. In this addition on pages 547 - 549 there are listed the "Armorial Bearings" for my surname. One hundred and eight listings are given...can you believe it! They read like..."Sa. a fesse embattled erm. betw. three boars' heads couped or."...and..."Ar. three bull's heads cabossed sa."...and..."Chequy or and sa. on a fess gu. three leopards' faces jessant-de-lis of the first". Say what? A new language it is.
Trying to sort through this organization of terms, abbreviations, flow of thought, and arrangement of words took a good amount of effort. This effort lead to a number of discoveries, and opened a new area for my tree climbing experiences. [Burke contains a "Glossary" describing the various markings, symbols, and abbreviations used.] Needless to say, there were many other sources that added to a beginning understanding of this topic.
Some of the most helpful references on my book case are:
The Story of Heraldry, by L.G. Pine, first published 1952 with the last edition being revised 1963.
Simple Heraldry Cheerfully Illustrated, by Iain Moncreiffe & Don Pottinger, first published 1953 and reprinted 1956.
The Elements of Heraldry, by William H. Whitmore, first published 1958. [The title page states "An Explanation of The Principles of The Science and A Glossary of The Technical Terms Employed and With an Essay Upon The Use of Coat-Armor in The United States.]
American & British Genealogy & Heraldry, compiled by P. William Filby, first published 1975.
Heralds And Ancestors, by Sir Anthony Wagner, 1978. [A Colonnade Book published by British Museum Publications Limited.]
A Complete Guide To Heraldry, by A.C. Fox-Davies, 1978.
A Guide to Heraldry, by Ottfried Neudecker, 1979.
Heraldry Illustrated, by W.H. Abbott, 1897.
Concise Encyclopedia of Heraldry, by Guy Cadogan Rothery, first published 1915 and reprinted 1985.
Wow...enough you say. Other books on my shelf provide additional information.
