The most unusual emblems in the world
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Some coats of arms look so strange that one would like to ask what the artists used when creating them. But behind the strange picture may be hiding something interesting. This article has collected ten most unusual coats of arms in the world and the stories associated with them.
10. Noble coat of arms, Poland
• The central element of this coat of arms is a cute white cat sitting on its hind legs and with its tail between its legs. Does this depiction symbolize some particularly valiant cat who, with its sharp claws, helped win a naval battle? Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the answer is much more mundane.
• Initially, the coat of arms depicted a monkey, which the sailors took with them to the sea as a pet. Such an animal in German is called Meerkatze, which means nothing more than "sea cat". But somehow the emblem was changed, and today instead of a monkey, it literally depicts a sea cat.
9. Coat of arms of the commune of Abfaltersbach, Austria
• Crossing two different images in heraldry is not uncommon. However, why in this case the choice fell on the Moor and the lion? The fact is that the commune was created on the border of two possessions – the counts of Goritsky (a lion is depicted on their shield) and the Prince-Bishop of Freising (a Moor is depicted on his shield).
• But with the Moor, everything is more complicated. Presumably, this is Saint Mauritius, who, according to legend, lived in Egyptian Thebes. Therefore, the artist depicted him as black.
8. Coat of arms of the Chernyshevsky district of the Trans-Baikal Territory, Russia
• The dinosaur depicted on the coat of arms is a reminder that the remains of these ancient creatures were found (and are still being found) in the Chernyshevsky district.
• In 2010, a unique dinosaur was found there, which was given the name Kulindadromeus zabaikalicus, or Zabaikalian Kulindadromeus. Traces of proto-feathers resembling wool were found on it. It is the image of kulindadromeus that flaunts on the coat of arms. And the white lines above it symbolize the confluence of three rivers.
7. Coat of arms of Irkutsk, Russia
• Sometimes human ignorance interferes with the creation of a coat of arms, and then everything does not go according to plan. A vivid example of this is Irkutsk, on its emblem there is a black tiger with red eyes, webbed paws and a beaver-like tail. He holds a red sable in his teeth.
• Tigers periodically enter the territory of the Irkutsk region, and the Siberian name for this animal is babr. An unknown official changed the letter “a” to “o” in the word “babr”, and this is how an outlandish hybrid of a tiger and a beaver turned out. An unfortunate mistake in the "babr" was corrected only in 1997, but the image on the coat of arms of the city remained the same.
6. Coat of arms of Mozambique
• The AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle was the choice of the fighters of the liberation movement (Mozambique Liberation Front), who paved the way for the country's independence. The rifle is said to represent both protection and vigilance, while the hoe and open book that accompanies it represent agriculture and education.
• The sun and star at the top symbolize new life and socialism, the golden field symbolizes a happy future, the cogwheel symbolizes industry and the working class, the waves symbolize Mozambique's water resources.
5. Coat of arms of Plzen, Czech Republic
• According to local folklore, in the early 15th century, a camel frightened an army of Hussites who unsuccessfully besieged the city of Pilsen for nine months. As a result, this animal became a symbol of the city's powerful defense and was added to its coat of arms in 1433.
• By the way, there is also a camel on the coat of arms of the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. It symbolizes the abundance of goods and that the prosperity of the city depends on successful trade.
4. Emblem of Thailand
• The coat of arms of one of the most popular Russian holiday destinations depicts the Garuda bird, the mount of the god Vishnu. As a companion of Vishnu, Garuda adopted some of his qualities, such as protection and removal of obstacles.
• Garuda is also the national symbol of Indonesia, and is present on the coat of arms of Ulaanbaatar, as it is the patron saint of the sacred Mongolian mountain Bogd-Khan-Uul.
3. Emblem of Oman
• This is one of the strangest coats of arms in the world – you won’t immediately understand what is on it. It was created as early as the 18th century as the emblem of the ruling family of Oman, and the weapons – two sabers and a curved sheathed khanjar dagger – are the traditional weapons of the country. Also on the Omani coat of arms are depicted the details of the belt.
2. Coat of arms of Marksheim, Germany
• This is not a red mutant lion, and not some real-life animal, transformed beyond recognition. This is a dragon that has become a symbol of one of the German communes. Such atypical images are called "peculiar". It was originally the coat of arms of the counts of Lechsgemünd-Greisbach.
1. Coat of arms of Silicia, Italy
• The Sicilian coat of arms depicts a strange woman with three legs and no torso. This is the triskelion, an ancient symbol invented by the Greeks who colonized Sicily. The three legs symbolize the three peaks – Capo Passero in the south, Capo Peloro in the east, and Capo Lilibeo in the west.
• Ears of wheat are a tribute to the fertility of the island. Initially, the head of the Gorgon Medusa was depicted on the triskelion. Subsequently, it was replaced with the head of the goddess – a symbol of the eternal passage of time.
