(Latin, vectis or fasciola)
An Ordinary which crosses the shield horizontally. It differs from a fess in that it occupies only one-fifth of the field and, unlike the fess, can be placed in any part of the shield. There is room for but four bars on a shield, the bar being one-fifth of the field. Care should be taken to name the quantity in the blazon, e.g. gu four bars arg. When there are more than four, they would then be diminutives of the bar.
The bar has two diminutives: the closet - one half and the barrulet - one-fourth of the bar. The term barra for bar, and barrula for barrulet may be encountered in the works of some old heraldic authors.
When blazoned in bar, charges are arranged in two or more rows, as distinguished from in fess where they are placed in a single row.
Bar per base, or bar meire: See Meire
Bars-gemel or bars-gemelle: See Bars-gemel
See Ordinary.
