Sejant

Sejant is a term used in heraldry to describe a creature or figure that is depicted in a seated posture. In blazonry, sejant indicates that the animal or figure rests on its haunches, typically with its forelegs placed on the ground. The posture is distinct from other common heraldic positions such as statant (standing), couchant (lying down), or rampant (rearing).

Origin and usage

The word sejant derives from Old French sejant, the present participle of seoir, meaning to sit, itself traced to Latin roots. In medieval and early modern heraldry, sejant was used to convey a natural, composed pose for animals and symbols on coats of arms and crests. It can appear on its own or combined with modifiers, most notably guardant, to indicate orientation.

Modifications and combinations

A frequent combination is sejant guardant, which describes a seated figure that is facing the viewer. This combination allows heraldic artists and blazoners to convey both posture and gaze in a compact description. Other modifiers that interact with posture descriptions include argent, or other tinctures, devices, or heraldic supporters.

Relation to other postures

Sejant is part of a family of terms used to describe posture in heraldry. Statant denotes a figure standing, couchant denotes lying down, and rampant denotes a figure in a dynamic, rearing stance. These terms help convey the intended appearance of charges in a shield or badge.

See also

Heraldry blazonry, heraldic postures, guardant, statant, couchant, rampant.