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# Dictionary of Vexillology: H (Habited – Haurient)

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Last modified: 2026-05-16 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- HABITED (or HABILLÉ)
- HAFTED (or HAFT)
- HAIR
- HALBERD
- HALBRUNDSCHILD
- HALF MAST (or HALF STAFF) A FLAG
- HALF MOON
- HALO (or HALOED)
- HALYARD (or HALLIARD)
- HAMBURGIAN CORONET
- HANDGUARD
- HANDLED (or HANDLE)
- HANDSCHYNIE
- HANDSIGNE
- HANDWAVER (or HANDFLAG)
- HANGING FLAG
- HANSEATENKREUZ
- HANSEATIC (or HANSA) CROSS
- HARDI (or HARDY)
- HARNESSED
- HARNYSED
- HATA SASHIMONO
- HATCHING
- HATCHMENT
- HAURIENT (or HAURIANT)

HABITED (or HABILLÉ)
  The alternative heraldic terms used to describe the customary clothing (the "habit") of a monk or friar – habillé – but see vested (also clad).

  Flag of Münchenwiler, Switzerland; Arms of Monaco; Flag of Rieden, Switzerland

HAFTED (or HAFT)
  The alternative heraldic terms used when the handle of a hammer or an axe/mace (or of a similar tool/weapon) is of a different tincture to its head – but see hilted (also barbed, garnished, halberd, ploughshare, shafted).

  Flag of Lhota u Vsetína, Czechia; Flag of Curtilles, Switzerland; Flag of Edenkoben, Germany

HAIR
  In heraldry see crined.

  Arms and flag of Novo Mesto, Slovenia

HALBERD
  A long-hafted Medieval weapon whose head consisted of a axe combined with a spear point and rip hook (see also crossbow, harnysed).

  Flag of Neuwilen, Switzerland; Flag of Hötensleben, Germany; Flag of Tafers, Switzerland

HALBRUNDSCHILD
  The German term for a round-bottomed shield – see Spanish-style shield.

  Flag of Strausberg, Germany

HALF MAST (or HALF STAFF) A FLAG
  (v & adj) To fly a flag at a point below its normal position, with the upper edge of the flag about a third of the length of the flag pole, or at least a flag’s width, from the truck, as a sign of mourning (see also dip, at the, draping, full mast).

  National Flag of the US at Half Mast (k326marines.com)

  Please note that a flag should, if the proper procedure is followed, be first raised right up to the truck before being lowered to its half-mast position, and raised once again to the truck before being lowered completely.

HALF MOON
  A term sometimes (inaccurately) used in place of crescent – see crescent 1).

  Flag of South Carolina, US

HALO
  In heraldry see nimbus

  Flag and Arms of Koprivničko-Ivanec, Croatia

HALYARD
  A length of thin rope or cable by means of which flags might be hoisted and lowered on a flag pole, mast or yardarm (see also Appendix I).

HAMBURGIAN CORONET
  A specific form of the mural crown and related directly to the city of Hamburg, Germany – see mural crown 1).

  Example (detail of St. Catherine Company Flag, 1740)

HANDGUARD
  1) In Spanish military usage and possibly some others, a metal guard fixed to the staff of a military colour so as to protect the bearer’s right hand (originally in combat) – a gardamano (see also colour 2), colours 2) and staff 2)).
  2) See saber.

  A Handguard According to Spanish Regulations (Reglamento de Banderas y Estandartes, Guiones, Insignias y Distintivos > Regla no. 9 and 10)

HANDLED (or HANDLE)
  The terms sometimes used to describe the hilt and pommel of a sword or dagger and the haft of a hammer, axe or other tool – but see hafted and hilted (also shafted).

  Flag of Drahenice, Czechia; Flag of Tasovice, Czechia; Flag of Dolce, Czechia

HANDSCHYNIE
  A Scottish term, now obsolete, for a miniature square banner.

HANDSIGNE
  A 16th/17th century variant spelling, now obsolete, of ensign – see ensign 1) and ensign 4) (also ancient 2)).

  Handsigne/Ensign, English c1590; Handsigne/Ensign, English c1620

HANDWAVER (or HANDFLAG)
  A small flag, usually made of either fabric or paper, fitted to a short stick and intended to be waved by hand (see also flaglet and table flag).

HANGING FLAG
  A long vertically orientated flag – originally of Germanic origin and now characteristic of both German speaking and other Central European countries – a vertical flag – it is square-ended or swallow tailed, usually consists of the main flag charge and livery colours (with its first or main colour at the dexter edge) and is specifically designed to be hung by its top edge from a horizontal pole attached to a building – not to be confused with the banner as defined herein and the similar (but usually shorter and more elaborately designed) gonfalon – see banner 2 and the note below (also bannerhead, flag charge, gonfalon 1), inner edge, outer edge, outrigger flag, rotated, vertical flag, vertically hoisted flag 1)).

  Hanging flags of Rosenheim, Memmingen and Brandenburg, Germany

  Notes
  a) The Editors have adopted strict German vexillological practice in that they have drawn a precisely defined distinction between a hanging flag and a banner, however:
  b) These terms are often (sometimes officially) regarded as synonymous and are considered interchangeable.

HANSEATENKREUZ
  See Hanseatic cross.

  Cavalry Pennant c1814, Lübeck

HANSEATIC (or HANSA) CROSS
  The term (together with its abbreviation) is translated from the German Hanseatenkreuz with this being a war-service medal issued by the former Hanseatic cities of Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen from 1915–1918, and which is sometimes used to describe a red, cross pattée of Germanic, particularly (but not exclusively) Hanseatic origin – see (also cross 2) and iron cross).

  Flag of the Hamburgischer Verein Seefahrt e.V., Germany; Hanseatic Crosses of Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen (Hanseatic Cities); Flag of Vegesack, Bremen, Germany

  Notes
  a) The above terms should only be used when the cross pattée being described is red and/or is of a Hanseatic origin.
  b) Information suggests that this term (describing a cross as defined above) dates from the early 19th century and the formation of volunteer corps from the former Hanseatic cities who took such a cross as one of their emblems.

  Flag of the Hamburg Citizen’s Militia 1814–1858

HARDI (or HARDY)
  In some systems of Continental European heraldry a term relating to the (usually aggressive) attitude of a rooster – see jelloped and wattled 2).

  Flag of Malleray, Switzerland; Flag of French Community Commission of the Region of Brussels-Capital, Belgium; Flag of Veltheim, Switzerland

HARNESSED
  1) In modern heraldry the term that can be used when a domesticated animal (most often a horse) is shown fitted with its harness – but see 2) below.
  2) See harnysed.

  Flag of Seuzach, Switzerland; Flag of Cressier, Switzerland; Flag of Hilfikon, Switzerland

HARNYSED
  In traditional heraldry the term used when a human figure is clad in armour – but see vambraced (also armoured and armed 2), halberd, harnessed 1) and the note below).

  Flag of Collex-Bossy, Switzerland; Flag of Pag, Croatia; State Flag of Lithuania

  Please note that this is an obsolete spelling of the word harnessed, and should be used when referring to the harness (or suit of armour) worn in battle during the Medieval period.

HATA SASHIMONO
  A Japanese phrase covering the generic term flag – see daimyo flags (also flag 1) and hinomaru).

  Flag of Ii, daimyo of Hikone 19th c., Japan

HATCHING
  1) In heraldry, a widely employed system of lines, dots and slashes used to indicate tinctures on a monochrome illustration – the Petra Santa method (see also monochrome 1)).
  2) In vexillology, as 1) above but also used randomly to give a textural appearance to certain charges (see also charge 1)).

  From left: Gules, Azure, Vert, Purpure, Sable, Or and Argent

  Please note with regard to 1) that this method of depicting tinctures on a black and white illustration was created in 1638, however, it is suggested that a glossary or dictionary of heraldry be consulted if full details are required.

HATCHMENT
  See achievement 2).

  Hatchment/Achievement of Arms of the Late Sir Winston Churchill, UK (Churchill Society)

HAURIENT (or HAURIANT)
  The heraldic term used when a fish is in the erect position – hauriant (see also finned, naiant, urinant).

  Flag of Nordreisa, Norway; Flag of Ribnica na Pohorju, Slovenia; Flag of Thalfang, Germany

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