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Coat o airms o Iceland
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The Coat o airms o Iceland or Skjaldarmerki Íslands is a cross o siller on a sky-blue shield, wi a fire-red cross inside the siller cross (seemilar tae the Icelandic banner). The shieldbearers are the fower protectors o Iceland (landvættir) staundin on a pahoehoe lava block. The bull (Griðungur) is the protector o soothwastren Iceland, the eagle or griffin (Gammur) protects northwastren Iceland, the draigon (Dreki) the northeastren pairt an the Rock-giant (Bergrisi) is the protector o sootheastren Iceland. Great respect wis gien tae thir creatures o Iceland, sae muckle that thare wis a law durin the time o the Vikings that nae ship shoud bear grimacin seembols (maist aften draigonheids on the bou o the ship) when approachin Iceland. This wis sae the protectors wad no be provoked unnecessarily.
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The landvættir an aa decorate the obverse (front) o the Icelandic króna coins but ainimals o the ocean (fish, crabs an dolphins) appear on the reverse (back). The Icelandic presidency uises a swallaetailed Icelandic banner wi the Coat o airms. The Naitional Commissioner o Icelandic Polis uises a white banner wi the Coat o airms, when the uise o the state banner is no warrantit, an sae mey some ither state services dae as well.
The shield mey be blazoned, Azure, on a cross argent a cross gules.