chevron dancette

The chevron is one the major shapes used upon a shield, known as ordinaries, being in the form of an inverted ‘v’ shape A Glossary of Terms used in British Heraldry, J.H. Parker, Oxford, 1894, Entry:Chevron. It is a popular feature, visually very striking and hence developed to have various decorative edges applied to distinguish otherwise identical coats of arms. Dancettee (sometimes spelled dancetty or dancy) is a bold, zig-zag pattern, perhaps the most distinctive of the patterned edges. Purists might argue that the French variant denché Is not the same, being of larger size and with the points being 90º, but there is much variation in actual practice so the difference is perhaps not that meaningful. Wade, quoting Guillim suggests that dancettee be attributed to mean water, in the same fashion as undy or wavy, and one can understand this allusion.