The Chiapas Shield summarizes some of the battles that took place in the Sumidero Canyon. The Spanish participants in the battle requested the assignment of this shield to King Carlos I of Spain.
It is granted on March 1, 1535, being received by the Villa de San Cristóbal de los Llanos. Its generalized use became official in 1892, being adopted as the coat of arms of the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas.
This current shield has a representation created by the painter Francisco Javier Vargas Ballinas, who was a native of Chiapas.
You can see on the shield the appearance of a landscape and some characteristic elements such as the Grijalva river canyon, a castle, a palm tree and the crown at the top.
The conjunction of all the characteristics of this shield represents the values and customs of the entity, reflecting part of the history of its independence.
Meaning
This shield has a single quadrant, there a landscape is represented in which two mountain ranges can be seen separated by a blue river.
On each one of the mountains you can see two golden lions, both located towards the left.
The left lion is accompanied by the golden castle, while the right lion is located next to a palm tree.
In the upper part of the blazon, there is a gold crown, adorned with some precious stones.
The Red color
Also known as the field of gules, it represents an important area of the main quadrant.
The color red represents the courage shown in battle during colonization and conquest.
The inhabitants of the Villa de San Cristóbal had to face many dangers, which were rewarded.
The Lions
The interpretation of the rampant lions has an individual and joint explanation.
Both represent the birth of a new people generated from a cultural fusion between the indigenous and the Spanish.
The transparency and purity of feelings is projected in the image of the golden lions.
The rampant lion next to the golden castle symbolizes the integration of elements such as wealth and nobility combined such as courage and heroism.
The lion located on the right side next to the palm, is an invocation of San Cristóbal.
The castle
The castle is depicted in gold color, which represents gold. Its inclusion in the shield represents defensive power, wisdom and light.
It also has a connotation that places the Castilian Crown, which was in charge of delivering the shield.
The Palm
It is a symbol of victory. The inclusion of the fruit in the palm represents the fertility and richness of the land.
The cannon and the
It represents the Sumidero Canyon, place of important battles.
The hill
Located in the background, it has a meaning of firmness, solidity and justice.
The crown
The royal crown is located at the top and represents the Crown of Castile. It also represents Chiapas sovereignty and authority.
References
- "History of the Shield of Chiapas - All Chiapas." 17 Mar.. 2017, todochiapas.mx. It was consulted on September 22, 2017.
- "SHIELD OF CHIAPAS MEANING AND DESCRIPTION - All Chiapas." Feb 4, 2009, todochiapas.mx. It was consulted on September 22, 2017.
- "Shield of Chiapas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." es.wikipedia.org. It was consulted on September 22, 2017.