A Lymphad or galley is a charge used primarily in Scottish heraldry. It is a single masted ship propelled by oars. In addition to the mast and oars, the Lymphad has three flags and a basket. The word comes from the Scottish Gaelic long fhada, meaning a long ship or birlinn

Birlinn

The birlinn was a type of boat used especially in the Hebrides and West Highlands of Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Birlinn is a Norse-Gaelic variant on the Norse longship. Variants of the name in English and Lowland Scots include "berlin" and "birling". It probably derives ultimately from the...

. It usually indicates a title associated with islands, such as Lord of the Isles

Lord of the Isles

The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...

, specifically those on the west coast of Scotland, but not limited to the Hebrides. Also, it is not limited to Scottish arms, a prominent example being the coat of arms of New Zealand.

Although the drawing of the lymphad for heraldic design purposes naturally became standardized, there are minor differences. These usually involves the position of the sails and oars and the tincture of the flags. There are other variations as well, such as the tincture of the ship. Additionally, the basket may be afire and the a crew may be depicted.

Examples

The Captain of Clan Chattan
field: Or, lymphad: Azure, sail furled, oars shown in saltire over the boat, flags Gules.

Lordship of the Isles

Lordship of the Isles

Lordship of the Isles may refer to :*The title and territory of the Lord of the Isles, in the west coast of Scotland*Lordship of the Isles , a region of the fictional World of Greyhawk in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game....

field: Or, lymphad: Sable, sail furled, oars in action, flags Gules.

Gunn of Kilernan

Clan Gunn

Clan Gunn is a Scottish clan associated with northeastern Scotland, including Caithness and Sutherland as well as the Orkney Islands.The clan's origins stretch over the sea to Norway, and the Clan Gunn themselves claim descent from the legendary viking Sweyn Asleifsson, the progenitor of the clan,...

The only one with a three-masted ship, shown on water:
field: Argent, ship: Proper (brown), sails full, no oars, flags Gules.

MacAlister of the Loup

Clan MacAlister

Clan MacAlister is a Scottish Clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The clan is the earliest branch to have split off from Clan Donald, claiming descent from Alasdair Mòr, son of Domhnall founder of Clan Donald. From Alasdair Mòr the clans takes its surname MacAlister; this surname is an Anglicisation...

The lymphad is shown on an eagle's breast, Gules, lymphad Sable, sail furled, oars in action, flags Sable.

Macdonald, Lord of the Isles

Lord of the Isles

The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...

field: Or, lymphad Sable, sail furled, oars in action, flags Gules, with an eagle displayed on the boat.

MacDougall of MacDougall

Clan MacDougall

Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan consisting of the descendants of Dubgall mac Somairle, son of Somerled, who ruled Lorne and the Isle of Mull in Argyll in the 13th century...

field: Or, lymphad Sable, sail furled, oars in action, flags Gules, with a fire basket fired on top of the mast.

McBain of Kinchyle

Clan MacBain

-Origins of the clan:There are several possible Gaelic origins for this name but the most likely is ben or ban which means "higher ground" and to a lesser extent bheathain and the step form MacBain which means "life". This could also have been rendered as Mac ic Bheatha which means MacBeth, a name...

field: Or, lymphad Azure, sails furled (Argent), oars in saltire, Gules, flags Gules.

Macfie of Colonsay

Clan Macfie

Clan Macfie is a Scottish clan. Since 1981, the clan has been officially registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon, which is the heraldic authority of Scotland...

field: Or, lymphad Sable, full sails Argent, no oars, flags Gules.

MacGillivray of Dunmaglass

Clan Macgillivray

Clan Macgillivray is a Scottish clan. The clan does not currently have a chief therefore it is considered an Armigerous clan.-Origins of the clan:...

field: Azure, lymphad Or, sails furled, oars in action, flags Gules.

MacIain of Ardnamurchan field: Or, lymphad Sable, sails furled, oars in action, flags Gules.

Mackinnon of Mackinnon

Clan MacKinnon

Clan Mackinnon or Clan Fingon is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the islands of Mull and Skye, in the Inner Hebrides.Popular tradition gives the clan a Dalriadic Gaelic origin. The 19th century historian W. F. Skene named the clan as one of the seven clans of Siol Alpin - who according to...

field: Or, lymphad Sable, sails furled, oars in saltire, flags Gules.

The Mackintosh

Clan MacKintosh

Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...

field: Or, lymphad Azure, sails furled, oars in saltire (gules), flags Gules.

Maclachlan of Maclachlan

Clan MacLachlan

Clan Maclachlan, also known as Clan Lachlan, is a Highland Scottish clan that historically centred on the lands of Strathlachlan on Loch Fyne, Argyll on the west coast of Scotland...

field: Or, lymphad Sable, sail furled, no oars, flags Gules.

Maclaren of Maclaren

Clan MacLaren

Clan MacLaren is a Highland Scottish clan.-History:-Origins:The origins of the clan are uncertain, but by tradition the MacLarens are descended from Loarn mac Eirc of Dál Riata, who landed in & settled Argyll in 503 A.D. The clan name is supposedly derived from Lorn ; these variations are all...

field: Or, lymphad Sable, sail furled, oars in action, flags Sable.

Maclean of Duart

Maclean of Duart

The Macleans of Duart or Maclean of Dowart are the main sept of the Scottish clan Clan Maclean, whose chief has his seat at Duart Castle, Isle of Mull.-History:Lachlan Lubanach Maclean was the first Maclean to occupy Duart Castle....

field: Or, lymphad Sable, sails furled, oars in saltire, flags Gules.

MacNeil of Barra field: Or, lymphad Sable, sails furled, oars in action, flags Gules.

Cluny Macpherson

Cluny MacPherson

Cluny Macpherson, MD was a medical doctor and the inventor of the gas mask.During the First World War the German army used poison gas for the first time, against Allied troops at Ypres, France in 1915...

field: per fesse (divided horizontally) Or and Azure, lymphad Or on the Azure, Azure on the Or (i.e.counterchanged), sails furled, oars in action, flags Gules.

The Captain of Clan Ranald field: Or, lymphad Sable, sail furled, oars in saltire, flags Gules.

Shaw of Rothiemurchus

Clan Shaw

Clan Shaw of Tordarroch is a Scottish clan. It is one of the member clans of the Chattan Confederation, who were led by the chiefs of Clan Mackintosh.-History:-Earliest Roots:...

field: Or, lymphad Azure, sail furled, oars in saltire (azure), flags Gules. Despite the English surname, Shaw, the arms have a "Highland", Gaelic appearance.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland.It is the only local council in Scotland to have a Gaelic-only name...