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Nombril

Heraldic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The central point of a shield’s lower half, called the navel point.

Detailed Definition
Positioned slightly below center, the nombril anchors design and proportion. In poetry, it represents balance, foundation, or the core of being—an inward focus where lineage crosses with identity, bridging geometry and introspection in human symbolism.
Example
Example in poetry:
At the nombril point, center of the shield, a rose marked the heart of lineage; “Nombril of my verse,” the poet located the core truth around which all else turned; The nombril, or navel point, served as geometric anchor in complex quarterings; In mystical poetry, the nombril symbolized the origin of creation within the field; The charge placed at nombril drew the eye—and the soul—to its significance.
Additional Notes
Nombril (or “nombril point”) is the very center of the shield, slightly below the fess point; it is rarely used as a placement term but appears in complex divisions; in poetic blazon, referencing the nombril point adds precision and anatomical metaphor—linking the shield to the human body’s core; it is more common in French than English heraldry.
Also Known As
Navel point Center point
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