Sable

Sable is the heraldic tincture for black. It is one of the five main colours. The name comes from the sable, a kind of marten with dark fur, and has meant black since at least the 1300s. In engravings Sable is shown with crossed vertical and horizontal lines.

Black is a strong partner for the metals. The Swiss town of Baden bears Argent, a pale sable and a chief gules, a black stripe down a white shield under a red top band. In tricked drawings, where tinctures are written as letters, Sable is marked s. or sa., and some artists just fill it in solid black.

In the coat of arms maker, pick Sable by name for a field, a charge or the outline of a design. A black raven, bear or anchor on a gold field is an easy start. Sable on Gules or Azure breaks the rule of tincture, so check the pairing before you download.