The Hidden Furry Origins of Heraldry

Traditional heraldry uses only nine official tinctures, and two of them are literally made of animal fur. While most are simple colors, designers originally represented wealth using actual patterns from stoat and squirrel hides.

In the medieval world, coats of arms were not just about colors; they incorporated the visual textures of luxury pelts like ermine and vair. Ermine was modeled after the winter coat of a stoat, while vair mimicked the bellies of red squirrels stitched together. These patterns became so iconic that they transitioned from actual garments into standard symbols used on shields and flags. Today, these stylized representations of fur remain a staple in European heraldic design.