Coat of arms of Antigua and Barbuda
Encyclopedia
The coat of arms
of Antigua and Barbuda
was designed in 1966 by Gordon Christopher. It was officially introduced on 16 February 1967. The symbolism of the arms is more complex than that found on the Flag of Antigua and Barbuda
, but many elements are similar.
At the top of the Coat of Arms is a pineapple
, a fruit for which the islands are famous. There are several plants found around the shield, all abundant in the country: red hibiscus
, sugarcane
, and yucca
plant. Supporting the shield is a pair of deer representing the wildlife of the islands.
The design on the shield shows the sun, also found on the flag, rising from a blue and white sea. The sun symbolises a new beginning, and the black background represents the Africa
n origins of many of the nations's citizens. At the bottom of the shield, in front of the sea, sits a stylised sugar mill.
At the bottom is a scroll upon which is written the national motto: "Each endeavouring, all achieving".
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
was designed in 1966 by Gordon Christopher. It was officially introduced on 16 February 1967. The symbolism of the arms is more complex than that found on the Flag of Antigua and Barbuda
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda
The national flag of Antigua and Barbuda was adopted on February 27, 1967, and was designed by a nationally acclaimed artist and sculptor, Sir Reginald Samuel. The rising sun symbolises the dawning of a new era. The colours have different meanings, the black is for the African ancestry of the...
, but many elements are similar.
At the top of the Coat of Arms is a pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
, a fruit for which the islands are famous. There are several plants found around the shield, all abundant in the country: red hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, and yucca
Yucca
Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40-50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of North...
plant. Supporting the shield is a pair of deer representing the wildlife of the islands.
The design on the shield shows the sun, also found on the flag, rising from a blue and white sea. The sun symbolises a new beginning, and the black background represents the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n origins of many of the nations's citizens. At the bottom of the shield, in front of the sea, sits a stylised sugar mill.
At the bottom is a scroll upon which is written the national motto: "Each endeavouring, all achieving".