Seal of New York City
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The Seal of the City of New York, adopted in an earlier form in 1686, bears the legend SIGILLUM CIVITATIS NOVI EBORACI which means simply "The Seal of the City of New York": Eboracum was the Roman name for York, the titular seat of James II as Duke of York.
The two supporters represent the unity between Native Americans and colonists. Dexter,[1] a sailor colonist holds a plummet in his right hand; over his right shoulder is a cross-staff. Sinister,[2] a Lenape native to Manhattan rests his left hand upon a bow.
Upon the arms / shield, the four windmill sails recall the city's Dutch history as New Amsterdam and the beavers and flour barrels signify the city's earliest trade goods (see History of New York City). The flour barrels and windmills represent the tremendous wealth generated by New York City from the Bolting Act of 1674.[3] The Act gave the city an exclusive monopoly to mill and export flour. The shield and supporters rest upon a horizontal laurel branch.
The crest over the seal is the Bald Eagle, added after the American Revolution.[citation needed] The eagle rests upon a hemisphere. At the bottom is the date, 1625, the founding of the city. A laurel wreath encircles the seal.
The city clerk is the custodian of the City Seal.
[edit] External links
- City Seal and Flag, Department of Citywide Administrative Services, New York City
[edit] References
- ^ Note that "Dexter" is Latin for "right" and is a term used in heraldry to denote the rightmost character. It is not intended to represent the name of the character.
- ^ Note that "Sinister" is Latin for "left" and is a term used in heraldry to denote the leftmost character. It is not intended to represent the name of the character.
- ^ New York's 250th Anniversary New York Times Magazine, June 20, 1915
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