▁to ▁a ▁single ▁individual , ▁time , ▁or ▁place . ▁ ▁Although ▁certain ▁designs ▁that ▁are ▁now ▁considered ▁her ald ic ▁were ▁evidently ▁in ▁use ▁during ▁the ▁ele vent h ▁century , ▁most ▁accounts ▁and ▁dep ict ions ▁of ▁shield s ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁tw elf th ▁century ▁contain ▁little ▁or ▁no ▁evidence ▁of ▁their ▁her ald ic ▁character . ▁ ▁For ▁example , ▁the ▁Bay e ux ▁T apest ry , ▁illustr ating ▁the ▁Norman ▁invasion ▁of ▁England ▁in ▁ 1 0 6 6 , ▁and ▁probably ▁commission ed ▁about ▁ 1 0 7 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁c athedral ▁of ▁Bay e ux ▁was ▁re built , ▁dep ict s ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁shield s ▁of ▁various ▁shapes ▁and ▁designs , ▁many ▁of ▁which ▁are ▁plain , ▁while ▁others ▁are ▁decor ated ▁with ▁drag ons , ▁cross es , ▁or ▁other ▁typically ▁her ald ic ▁figures . ▁ ▁Yet ▁no ▁individual ▁is ▁dep icted ▁twice ▁bearing ▁the ▁same ▁arms , ▁nor ▁are ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁descend ants ▁of ▁the ▁various ▁persons ▁dep icted ▁known ▁to ▁have ▁bor ne ▁devices ▁res emb ling ▁those ▁in ▁the ▁t apest ry . ▁ ▁Similarly , ▁an ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁kn ights ▁at ▁the ▁court ▁of ▁the ▁By z antine ▁em peror ▁Alex ius ▁I ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁tw elf th ▁century ▁describes ▁their ▁shield s ▁of ▁pol ished ▁metal , ▁utter ly ▁de void ▁of ▁her ald ic ▁design . ▁ ▁A ▁Spanish ▁manuscript ▁from ▁ 1 1