Fess

A fess is an ordinary in the form of a horizontal band running across the middle of the shield. Writers put its width anywhere from one fifth to one third of the shield. The word comes through Old French from the Latin fascia, meaning band.

The best known fess is Austria's: Gules, a fess argent, the red and white band shield that began with the Babenberg dukes and is still the state arms today. When two or more narrow bands appear together they are called bars, and a field of many stripes is barry. A fess with thin lines on either side is said to be cotised.

In the coat of arms maker you can add a Fess from the ordinaries on the Shield tab, split the field Per fess, or choose the Barry pattern for stripes. Click the band to set its tincture. The pale is the same idea turned upright, and the heraldic divisions guide shows both.