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A wyvern or wivern is a legendary
Legendary creature

A legendary creature is a mythology or folklore creature ....
 winged reptilian
Reptile

Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, cold-blooded vertebrates that have skin covered in scale as opposed to hair or feathers....
 creature with two legs often found in mediaeval heraldry
Heraldry

Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of devising, granting, and blazoning Coat of arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms....
. The word is derived from Middle English wyvere, from Old North French wivre "viper".

The wyvern is regarded as a type of dragon
Dragon

File:Ukiyo-e dragon 2.jpgThe dragon is a legendary creature with serpentine shape or otherwise reptilian traits that features in the mythology of many cultures....
. Wyverns are normally shown as dragons with two legs and two wings. Sometimes there are eagle's claws on the wingtips. The rest of its appearance can vary, such as appearing with a tail spade or with a serpent-like tail and sometimes it appears with a crane like beak.

Heraldry and symbolism

Stephen Friar speculates that the wyvern entered British heraldry as the standard of the Roman cohort and later appeared as the "burning dragon" of Cadwaladr
Cadwaladr

Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon , also known as Cadwaladr Fendigaid was a king of Kingdom of Gwynedd. According to the Historia Brittonum he King of the Britons....
 (the origin of the gold dragon or Ddraig Aur of Wales
Wales

native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
).

The wyvern was the emblem
Emblem

An emblem is a pictorial , abstract art or representational, that epitomizes a concept ? e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory ? or that represents a person, such as a Monarch or Saint symbology....
 of the rulers of Wessex
Wessex

West Saxon redirects here. For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex .Wessex , from the Old English Westseaxe , was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of the English state in the 9th century, under the Wessex dynasty....
 and the word "Wyvern" is associated with the many areas of Wessex
Wessex

West Saxon redirects here. For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex .Wessex , from the Old English Westseaxe , was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of the English state in the 9th century, under the Wessex dynasty....
, reflected in many county and town heraldries of the South West and west of England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
.






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A wyvern or wivern is a legendary
Legendary creature

A legendary creature is a mythology or folklore creature ....
 winged reptilian
Reptile

Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, cold-blooded vertebrates that have skin covered in scale as opposed to hair or feathers....
 creature with two legs often found in mediaeval heraldry
Heraldry

Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of devising, granting, and blazoning Coat of arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms....
. The word is derived from Middle English wyvere, from Old North French wivre "viper".

The wyvern is regarded as a type of dragon
Dragon

File:Ukiyo-e dragon 2.jpgThe dragon is a legendary creature with serpentine shape or otherwise reptilian traits that features in the mythology of many cultures....
. Wyverns are normally shown as dragons with two legs and two wings. Sometimes there are eagle's claws on the wingtips. The rest of its appearance can vary, such as appearing with a tail spade or with a serpent-like tail and sometimes it appears with a crane like beak.

Heraldry and symbolism



Stephen Friar speculates that the wyvern entered British heraldry as the standard of the Roman cohort and later appeared as the "burning dragon" of Cadwaladr
Cadwaladr

Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon , also known as Cadwaladr Fendigaid was a king of Kingdom of Gwynedd. According to the Historia Brittonum he King of the Britons....
 (the origin of the gold dragon or Ddraig Aur of Wales
Wales

native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
).

The wyvern was the emblem
Emblem

An emblem is a pictorial , abstract art or representational, that epitomizes a concept ? e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory ? or that represents a person, such as a Monarch or Saint symbology....
 of the rulers of Wessex
Wessex

West Saxon redirects here. For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex .Wessex , from the Old English Westseaxe , was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of the English state in the 9th century, under the Wessex dynasty....
 and the word "Wyvern" is associated with the many areas of Wessex
Wessex

West Saxon redirects here. For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex .Wessex , from the Old English Westseaxe , was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of the English state in the 9th century, under the Wessex dynasty....
, reflected in many county and town heraldries of the South West and west of England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
. It also has been used farther afield in Herefordshire
Herefordshire

Herefordshire is a Historic counties of England and Ceremonial counties of England Counties of England in the West Midlands Regions of England of England....
 and Worcestershire
Worcestershire

Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands of central England. From 1974 to 1998 it was administered as part of Hereford and Worcester....
, as the rivers Wye
River Wye

:See River Wye for other rivers called Wye.The River Wye is the Rivers of Great Britain#Longest rivers in the United Kingdom in the United Kingdom and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales....
 and Severn run through Hereford
Hereford

Hereford is a cathedral city City status in the United Kingdom, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester....
 and Worcester
Worcester

Worcester is a City status in the United Kingdom and county town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some 30 miles southwest of Birmingham, 29 miles north of Gloucester, and has an estimated population of 94,300 people....
 respectively. Therefore, the wyvern is often used as a mascot in the west and south west. For example, one of the local radio stations is called Wyvern FM
Wyvern FM

Wyvern FM is a radio station broadcasting to Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England. It is owned by Global Radio, and is part of "The One Network"....
, and its first logo
Logo

A logo is a graphical element that, together with its logotype form a trademark or commercial brand. Typically, a logo's design is for immediate recognition....
, in 1982, featured a wyvern dragon.

British
  • A golden wyvern was featured on the flag of King Harold Godwinson
    Harold Godwinson

    Harold Godwinson also known as Harold II, was the last Anglo-Saxons King of Kingdom of England before the Norman Conquest of England. Harold reigned from 5 January 1066, until his death at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October of that same year, fighting the Normans invaders, led by William I of England....
     of England
    England

    native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
     and is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry
    Bayeux Tapestry

    The Bayeux Tapestry is a 50 cm by 70 m long embroidery cloth?not an actual tapestry?which explains the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England as well as the events of the invasion itself....
    .
  • The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in WW1 and WW2 and latterly the 43 (Wessex) Brigade of the British Army have a golden wyvern as their symbol, worn on the left shoulder of the uniform.
  • Vauxhall
    Vauxhall Motors

    Vauxhall Motors is a UK automobile company. It is a subsidiary of General Motors , and is part of GM Europe. Most current Vauxhall models are right-hand drive derivatives of GM's Opel brand....
     had a model in its range in the 1950s called the Wyvern
    Vauxhall Wyvern

    The Wyvern is a medium sized family saloon introduced by Vauxhall Motors in 1948 as a successor to the Vauxhall 12. The name comes from the mythical beast the Wyvern and may be due to a mis-identity of the heraldic Griffin on the Vauxhall badge....
    .
  • The logo of Hummersknott School
    Hummersknott School

    Hummersknott School is a secondary school in Darlington in the north east of England. It schools approximately 1250 pupils aged eleven to sixteen....
     in Darlington
    Darlington

    Darlington is a town in the ceremonial county of County Durham, England, and the main population centre in the Darlington . Darlington has a resident population of 97,838....
    , County Durham
    County Durham

    County Durham is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in North East England England. The county town is Durham.The largest settlement in the county is the town of Darlington....
     has this on it, and also one of its houses is called wyvern
  • The wyvern also appears in the crest of Kingswood School, Lansdown, Bath.
  • The wyvern is also the name and symbol of a renowned Sports-Drinking Society at Magdalene College, Cambridge.
  • The wyvern is the crest of Mid-Cheshire District Scouts with a blue background.
  • Wyvern's Ridge may be the etymological basis of the name of the village of Wivenhoe
    Wivenhoe

    Wivenhoe is a town in northeastern Essex in the East of England. Historically Wivenhoe village, on the banks of the River Colne, and Wivenhoe Cross, on the higher ground to the north, were two separate settlements but with considerable development in the 19th century the two have merged....
    , in north east Essex. The local association football team, Wivenhoe Town, are nicknamed The Dragons, and have a wyvern on their badge.
  • The wyvern is the main feature of the emblem of Hugh Sexey Middle School in Blackford, Somerset, UK
  • Until 1968, the Wyvern was the emblem of Wolverton County Secondary School, Moon Street, Wolverton, in Buckinghamshire. Later, the school changed its name to Wyvern School.
  • The Wyvern is the symbol on the crest of Leyton Orient Football Club, and Leyton Orient have a Wyvern Mascot.
  • The Wyvern is the symbol of Somerset County Council, as well as the name of a social club of it's workers.
Commonwealth
  • A wyvern appears on the crest of Queen's College (University of Melbourne)
    Queen's College (University of Melbourne)

    Queen's College is a residential college affiliated with the University of Melbourne providing accommodation to 220 students who are attending the University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Arts, RMIT University and Monash University's Victorian College of Pharmacy....
    .
  • The Wyvern sits upon the crest of King's College, University of Queensland. The all male college embraces it and each student is taught to embody the spirit of the Wyvern. This is often exampled with a cry of "All Hail the Great Wyvern". The word "Wyvern" is also used as a euphemism in many social situations.
  • The wyvern is also on the shield of Wesley College, Perth
    Wesley College, Perth

    Wesley College, informally known as Wesley, is an Independent school, Day school and boarding school for boys, situated in South Perth, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, Western Australia....
     (upper right-hand quarter).
  • The Wyvern is part of the crest of Newington College
    Newington College

    Newington College is an Independent school, Uniting Church, Day school and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, New South Wales, an Inner West suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia....
    , Sydney
    Sydney

    Sydney is the List of cities in Australia by population in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million . It is the List of Australian capital cities of New South Wales, and was the site of the first British Empire colony in Australia....
    , New South Wales
    New South Wales

    New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
    , Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
    . One of the preparatory schools is named Wyvern House
    Wyvern House

    Wyvern House, is one of the two Single-sex school, Primary school day schools for boys of Newington College and is located at 115 Cambridge Street Stanmore, New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia....
    .
  • The wyvern is the official school symbol for Woodbridge College Secondary School in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.


United States of America
  • A red wyvern rampant is the school mascot of Saint Francis High School
    Saint Francis High School (Louisville)

    Saint Francis High School , is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Founded in 1977, it is an outgrowth of St....
     in Louisville
    Louisville, Kentucky

    Louisville is Kentucky's largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Kentucky. The city's estimated population as of 2006 is listed as 557,789, with a population of 1,233,733 in the Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area....
    , Kentucky
    Kentucky

    The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a U.S. state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is normally included in the group of Southern United States , but it is uncommonly included, geographically and culturally, in the Midwestern United States....
    .
  • The Distinctive Unit Insignia and arms of the U.S. 37th Armor Regiment
    U.S. 37th Armor Regiment

    The 37th Armor is an armor regiment of the United States Army....
     are charged with a legless wyvern.
  • The wyvern is the mascot for Kingswood-Oxford School
    Kingswood-Oxford School

    Kingswood-Oxford School is a private day school located in West Hartford, Connecticut. Originally two separate schools--Kingswood for the boys and Oxford for the girls--it is now a co-ed school for grades 6 through 12....
    .
  • The Wyvern Club was a club founded by several New Orleans men, which met at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans.
  • The chemistry professional fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma
    Alpha Chi Sigma

    Alpha Chi Sigma is a Professional fraternity Fraternities and sororities specializing in the field of chemistry. It has both collegiate and professional chapters throughout the United States consisting of both men and women and numbering over 59,300 members....
     uses the wyvern as a mascot.


Elsewhere
  • The wyvern is the mascot of the Korean Baseball Organization team SK Wyverns, established in 2000. The Wyverns have won the KBO Championship in 2007 and 2008.
  • The Wyvern also sits upon the crest of Wesley College Dublin, Ireland
    Ireland

    Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....


Cryptozoology

Some cryptozoologists have theorized that wyverns are evidence of surviving pterosaurs, a large flying reptile thought to have gone extinct around 65 million years ago. There are alleged sightings in remote areas of pterosaur-like creatures such as the Kongamato
Kongamato

The Kongamato is a reported pterosaur-like creature from the border area of Zambia, Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Suggested identities include a modern-day rhamphorhynchus , a misidentified bird , or a giant bat....
 in Africa. There is no evidence to support these hypotheses or sightings.

See also

  • Lindworm
    Lindworm

    Lindworm in British heraldry, is a technical term for a wingless bipedal dragon. It is often shown wingless, with a poisonous bite.In modern Scandinavian languages, the cognate lindorm can refer to any 'serpent' or monstrous snake, but in Norwegian heraldry, it is also a technical term for a 'seaserpent' , although it may also stand...


External links