Murrey
In heraldry, purple colour
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In heraldry, murrey is a "stain", i. e. a non-standard tincture, that is a dark reddish purple colour. It is most proximate in appearance to the heraldic tincture of purpure, but is distinct therefrom.
| Murrey | |
|---|---|
| Class | Stain |
| Non-heraldic equivalent | Mulberry, Maroon |
| Monochromatic designations | |
| Hatching pattern | |
| Tricking abbr. | m., M. |
| Poetic designations | |
| Heavenly body | Dragon's Tail |
| Jewel | Sardonyx |
Overview
According to dictionaries, "murrey" is the colour of mulberries, being somewhere between the heraldic tinctures of gules (red) and purpure (purple), and almost maroon;[1] but examples registered in Canada[2] and Scotland[3] display it as a reddish brown.
Poetic meanings
Centuries ago, arms were often described poetically and the tinctures were associated with different gemstones, flowers and heavenly bodies. Murrey usually corresponded to the following:
- Of jewels, the sardonyx[4]
- Of heavenly bodies, the Dragon's Tail[5]
Examples
The livery colours of the House of York in England in the fifteenth century were azure and murrey, as depicted on the shields of the Falcon of the Plantagenets and the White Lion of Mortimer among the Queen's Beasts.[6]
