Bio Crosses

These crosses have flowers, fruit, birds, fish, or some other link to the plant or animal kingdoms.

Animals, birds and fish are plentiful in armorial bearings, and far too numerous to list here. The whole animal is shown or just a part; for example the head, beak or claw.

Where the extremities terminate in the heads of eagles, lions, etc. it is termed an Anserated Cross.

Other generic terms include:

• Gringolée, Gringalee, Gringolly or Guivré, typically showing two serpent heads at the extremeties of the cross arms. Seen in French heraldry and representing the salvation from sin.
• Leonced or Lionced, for lions or leopards, often crowned, symbolic of strength.
• Aquilated when charged with eagles.
• Pavonated when peacocks are used, or peacock colours