The coat of arms of the Counts of Flanders is an early example of heraldry, dating back to at least 1224. The vast majority of armorial bearings from the early days of heraldry use only one colour and one metal, which would lead later heraldists to ponder the possibility that there was an unspoken rule regarding the use of tinctures.
The rule of tincture is a design philosophy found in some heraldic traditions that states "metal should not be put on metal, nor colour on colour".[1] Heraldic furs such as ermine and vair, and charges described as "proper", are generally exempt from the rule of tincture.
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