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ESCALLOP
SHELL: (fr. coquille). Bearings
for those who have made long voyages, or who have had
important naval commands, and gained great victories; much
used by pilgrims.
This is the
badge of a pilgrim, also a symbol of the Apostle St. James
the Great, who is generally drawn in the garb of a pilgrim.
As it is found in ancient heraldry as early as Henry III.’s
time, it was probably suggested by the eastern pilgrimages.
It is borne in various ways, often surmounting an ordinary
or other charge, especially a cross, chief, or bordure, etc.
It is clear that the old French term coquille (from which we
derive out modern cockle shell), is the same, though heralds
pretend that when this is used the shell should have the
edge upwards. The shell is always represented with the
outside of the valve towards the spectator; but in French
arms the interior is sometimes shown, and then the term
vannet is used.
From: "A GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN HERALDRY" by JAMES PARKER, FIRST PUBLISHED in 1894