the principal part of a system of hereditary symbols dating back to early medieval Europe, used primarily to establish identity in battle. Arms evolved to denote family descent, adoption, alliance, property ownership, and, eventually, profession.

The colouring of the shield and the charges it bears developed slowly. When heraldry was confined to display on flags, the tinctures (colours) were the metals or (gold, yellow) and argent (silver, white) and the colours gules (red) and azure (blue). Sable (black) was difficult in the early days because it was derived from an indigo dye that often faded enough to be confused with azure. Vert (green) was then uncommon because it required an expensive dye imported from Sinople (now Sinop, Turkey) on the Black Sea (in French heraldry vert is still termed sinople). Purpure (purple) was even less common, since it was derived from rare shellfish (murex). Later, when shields were routinely decorated with the designs borne on the flags, furs were added to the tinctures, initially those of ermine (from the winter stoat) and vair (from the squirrel). These furs had distinctive patterns that later would be coloured variously to produce such artificial furs as ermines, erminois, and pean. The squirrel's fur, dark on the back and light on the belly, was cut up and assembled into many designs. The terminology is not consistent; while the term tinctures is usually applied to heraldic metals, colours, and furs, some writers restrict it to mean colours only; some use the term colours to mean metals, tinctures (colours), and furs, and others use colours to mean metals and tinctures but treat furs separately.