Ravenclaw, one of the four Hogwarts’ faculties, has an Eagle as its mascot. Being a Ravenclaw means you are clever, wise, and intelligent. The entrance to Ravenclaw Tower is marked by a bronze door hammer in the shape of an eagle, which sets a riddle before the entrance. The venerable ghost of the Faculty is the Grey Lady.
Meaning and history
Ravenclaw, one of the four faculties of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is described as the ideal refuge for those gifted with intelligence, wit, and often unique oddities. Such a definition practically guarantees that the students whom the hat allocated to the Ravenclaw will not go unnoticed.
As most people know, every Hogwarts house has a mascot in the form of an animal. Slytherin has a snake, Hufflepuff has a badger, and Gryffindor has a lion. Most people assume that Ravenclaw has a raven, but that’s not true. Of course, it’s easy to make a mistake, given that the word “raven” is right there in the name. In any case, the animal associated with the Raven is actually an eagle.
What is Ravenclaw?
Ravenclaw is the name of one of the faculties of the great school of magic and witchcraft Hogwarts. The distinctive features of Ravenclaw students are intelligence and ingenuity. The founder of the faculty is the mysterious sorceress from the mountain valleys Candida the Claw. The Dean of the Faculty is Professor Filius Flitwick.
In terms of visual identity, the crest of the faculty is based on its symbol and the official color palette. The eagle represents the ability to soar to heights that others would not even dream of climbing, making it a symbol of broad vision. While many tend to associate the raven with Ravenclaw, we must remember that none of the house names are taken from symbols. Instead, they are the surnames of the founders of Hogwarts. Ravenclaw was founded by Candida Ravenclaw, and although the name has nothing to do with an eagle, some fans have suggested that it is related to the color of the eagle’s claw.
In addition to their colors, animals, and common character traits, J.K. Rowling showed that each of the houses is associated with one of the four elements of nature. Ravenclaw is associated with air, Gryffindor with fire, Slytherin with water, and Puffendum with earth. Rowling conceived of this as a reference to the balance between the houses and the need for balance between the traits that the houses represent.
The Ravenclaw’s connection to air is also related to its other symbols. Like the eagle and the sky-blue color of the house, the air is associated with Ravenclaw’s high levels of learning. Air is also associated with a clear vision, elevation (namely, the elevation of the mind through learning), and a long-standing connection to spirit and mind. The swiftness and lightness of the wind and air are often compared to the elusive nature of thought, and those who spend their days immersed in reflection are said to be hovering in the clouds.
The history of the appearance of the coat of arms is not reflected in the books. However, we can assume that the choice is connected, firstly, with the founder’s surname, and secondly, Rowena Ravenclaw’s element was air. This determined the main heraldic colors and metal. In addition, the coat of arms is a reflection of all those qualities that the wizardess valued in people.
Crest
The Ravenclaw coat of arms resembles an English heraldic quadrangular shield with a sharp base. It is dated, as well as the shields of Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor houses, to approximately the XIII century. The shield is decorated with enamel, but it is difficult to determine the color of enamel in classical heraldry. Most of all it looks like silver. The shield is surrounded by a vegetal ornament in the form of ivy leaves, and its top is decorated with a helmet. The head of an eagle, turned in profile, is used as a helmet. The heraldic figure in the center of the shield is also an eagle, the mascot of Ravenclaw.
Azure, used for the crest, is a symbol of the sky, as well as generosity and honesty. These qualities are inherent in the students of the faculty, though they are not sung about in the song of the Distributing Hat. But after all, true honesty and loyalty need no advertising. The heraldic figure, the eagle, is a symbol of courage, but also of wisdom. It is often the eagle that becomes the symbol of imperial families, as it combines the wisdom of the ruler and the strength needed by the king. Recall the words of the song of the Hat:
And if your brains are all right,
You have a longing for knowledge.
There’s humor and strength to gnaw at the granite of science,
Your path is at the Ravenclaw table.
Font and color
The primary logo of the Ravenclaw faculty does not contain any lettering, however it’s secondary version does. In this case the in script is set in a bold custom typeface with stable yet elegant letters, drawn in a gothic style, with the “R” significantly enlarged.
The original colors of the Ravenclaw are blue and bronze. These colors are taken from the sky (blue) and the feathers of the eagle, which is the symbol of the house (bronze). However, Warner Brothers decided to change the colors of the movies to blue and silver, which confused many fans. This is even more confusing given that the other three houses have been given their original hues.