Bones

Bones

Bones: it is singular that human bones should be so frequently chosen as devices for coats of arms, and it will be found that they are separated into varieties in the blazoning, though probably the shank bone, thigh bone, and leg bone are generally intended for the same, viz. the femur. By the shin bone is probably meant the tibia.

Sable, two shin-bones in saltire, proper, the sinister surmounted by the dexter--NEWTON.

[Another branch of the family appears to bear the sinister uppermost.]

Sable, a shin-bone in pale, proper, surmounted of another in fesse--BAYNES, Cumb. [The family seem to have borne originally a saltire.]

Sable, two shank-bones in cross, that in pale surmounting the one in fesse argent--BAINES, York.

Or three broken shank-bones fesswise in pale gules--DE COSTA.

So far as has been observed in all cases the bones are intended for human bones.

The human skull, or death's head, also is borne, but not frequently. The jaw-bone also occurs occasionally.

Argent, on a chevron gules, three human skulls of the first--BOLTER.

Sable, a chevron between three human skulls argent--BOULTER.

Paly of six, or and gules, a jaw-bone in pale azure--DAMBOYS.

In Achievements a skull is sometimes placed over the shield instead of the crest, to signify that the deceased is the last of his line.