supporter

In heraldry, supporters are figures placed on either side of a shield. They are typically borne by peers and holders of high-ranking orders, such as Knights of the Garter. While their use was once more widespread, a few English families still claim the right to them. In Scotland, supporters are used more frequently, including by heirs of feudal barons and chiefs of clans. The compartment is the ground or foundation upon which supporters stand. Heraldry itself is the art and science of devising, displaying, and granting armorial insignia, with coats of arms serving as a means of identification that spread through European nobility in the 13th century.123