Agents of Shield – The Return Of Half-term Heraldry

We were recently invited to repeat our heraldry-themed PAS activity at the University of Nottingham Museum of Archaeology. So, during the May half-term we packed up our craft supplies and headed to beautiful surroundings of the Lakeside Arts Centre for some heraldic half-term fun.

Image of a volunteer named Jasmine standing to the left of a long table. A variety of coloured shield shapes are laid out on the table top ready for use in a craft activity.
PASt Explorers volunteer Jasmine ready to go at the University of Nottingham Museum of Archaeology at the Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham. Copyright: Portable Antiquities Scheme, License: CC-BY.

Armed with brightly coloured paper (in the seven heraldic colours), glue and a whole menagerie of heraldic beasties, our participants set about creating their very own Coat of Arms. Here are the results!

Eight brightly coloured paper shields arranged in two rows of four, one above the other. Each shield has the image of a plant or animal on it.

As well as the opportunity to get creative, this activity also introduces participants to the language of heraldry and concepts around identity and how people represented themselves in the past. 

For more information about this activity, please contact info@finds.org.uk. Why not have a go at creating your own shield? Share it with us on Twitter or Instagram (@findsorguk on both platforms).