Coat of arms of Iceland

Coat of arms of Iceland
Details
Armiger	Republic of Iceland
Adopted	1 July 1944
Escutcheon	Azure, a cross gules fimbriated argent
Supporters	Landvættir: A bull (Griðungur), a rock giant (Bergrisi), a griffin (Gammur), and a dragon (Dreki)
Compartment	Pahoehoe lava block

Coat of arms of the President of Iceland
Details
Armiger	President of Iceland
Adopted	1944
Escutcheon	Azure, a cross gules fimbriated argent, charged with a white square with the full achievement of the national coat of arms.

The coat of arms of Iceland displays a silver-edged, red cross on blue shield (blazoned: Azure, on a cross argent a cross gules). This alludes to the design of the flag of Iceland. The supporters are the four protectors of Iceland (landvættir) standing on a pahoehoe lava block. The bull (Griðungur) is the protector of southwestern Iceland, the eagle or griffin (Gammur) protects northwestern Iceland, the dragon (Dreki) protects the northeastern part, and the rock-giant (Bergrisi) is the protector of southeastern Iceland. Great respect was given to these creatures of Iceland, so much that there was a law during the time of the Vikings that no ship should bear grimacing symbols (most often dragonheads on the bow of the ship) when approaching Iceland. This was so the protectors would not be provoked unnecessarily.

The landvættir (“land wights”) also decorate the obverse (front) of the Icelandic króna coins, but animals of the ocean (fish, crabs, and dolphins) appear on the reverse (back). The Icelandic presidency uses a swallowtailed Icelandic flag with the coat of arms. The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police uses a white flag with the coat of arms, when the use of the State flag is not warranted, and some other state services do as well.

Iceland has historically had various distinct coats of arms:

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