Colour

In heraldry, the term colour refers to azure, sable, gules, vert and purpure. Or and argent are not considered colours, but metals. There are rules governing when colours can be used. A charge is not allowed to be one of the colours if the backgound is also a colour, so for instance an azure lion can not appear on a gules field. But the field can be split in two with both halves being a colour or a metal, or with one half in each, in which case a charge of either colour or metal can be placed, because otherwise you couldn't charge anything (see heralds -- poverty of)

See also:

• Dye colours
• Pigment
• Tincture