This exotic coat of arms was approved by the English king Edward VII at the beginning of the 20th century. The coat of arms of Mauritius is a classic shield divided into four equal parts. The two main elements of this shield are gold and azure. They alternate on the coat of arms alternately.
In the first quarter of the shield of the coat of arms there is an image of a ship against an azure background. In the second quarter, against a golden background, there is an image of three palms. In the third, also golden quarter, there is an image of a scarlet key (vertically, groove down). In the last, azure quarter of the shield of the Liberian coat of arms, there is a silvery five-pointed star above a pyramid of the same metal
The coat of arms of Mauritius also uses shield holders. It is kept by the dodo bird and the sambar (Indian deer). Both figures are jagged, with the dodo from left to right and the sambar from right to left. On either side of the Liberian shield is an image of a sugar cane. It is made in natural color. Below there is a ribbon (which serves as the base of the coat of arms). The motto is written on it - Stella Clavisque Maris Indici. It means "Star and Key of the Indian Ocean".
A brief description of the symbols of the coat of arms
The coat of arms of Mauritius has the following symbols:
- Ship - used to show the colonization of the country by Europeans.
- Palm trees are a symbol of the rich nature of this exotic country located in the Indian Ocean.
- The key and the star is a stylized image of the main state motto depicted at the bottom of the coat of arms on the coat of arms.
- The Mauritian dodo is nowhere to be found anywhere, as it is an extinct bird. It is considered the symbol of Mauritius.
- Zambar was brought to this island by the Dutch from neighboring islands.
- Sugarcane is a symbol of the country's main wealth. Today it is the main agricultural crop of Mauritius, bringing large incomes to the country.
History of the coat of arms of Mauritius
The coat of arms of Mauritius as a colony was approved back in 1889. He had no supporters, and no sugar cane. There were also other differences in the shapes of the coat of arms. In addition, there was a horizon line in the images. The final version of the coat of arms was approved only in 1906. And after Mauritius was officially recognized as an independent state, the coat of arms became the official and legal symbol of the country.