The popular, informal term spread eagle is derived from a heraldic depiction of an eagle "displayed," with both wings, the body and the legs displayed, which has been used as the emblem of a number of states and monarchs. The Great Seal of the United States features a spread eagle Examples can be seen: * on the Great Seal of the United States * the Bundesadler of Germany * on the Coat of Arms of Poland * on the Coat of Arms of Romania ----------------------------------The eagle is used in heraldry both as a charge (something drawn on the shield) or as a supporter (something holding the shield up). Parts of the eagle’s body such as its head, wings or leg are also used as a crest or charge.--------------------In the same way that a lion (heraldry) is considered the king of beasts the eagle is regarded as the pre-eminent bird in heraldry. It has been more widely used and more highly regarded in Continental European heraldry than in English heraldry. For instance, in the roll of Henry III of England (reigned 1216-1272) there are only three eagles. Eagles are often (outside of Italian heraldry) drawn with the beak, tongue and talons in a different colour to the rest of the body. In that case they are blazoned “langued and armed colour.” An eagle can appear either single or double-headed. On at least one occasion a three-headed eagle is seen.---------------To the pagans, the eagle was an emblem of Jupiter, the god of the sky. The eagle and lion of Innishowen were used as Celtic drudic holy symbols. In 102 B.C. the Roman Consul Marius decreed that the eagle would be the symbol of the Roman Republic. It is said that when the Second Temple of Jerusalem was being expanded and renovated in 20 B.C., Herod the Great offended the people by mounting a Roman golden eagle over the gate. When Herod died some years later, his opponents tore down the eagle. It is believed that the Prophet Mohammad’s first standard or flag in 7th century A.D. was a plain flag with no insignia on it to contradict the national standard of the opposing pagan Quraish tribe, Al-Uqaab, that had a black eagle on white background, the sacred Eagle that carried pagan prayers from Earth to the Sky. ------------------------- Central Asian Turkish Shamans carried a wooden stick pole with seven or nine horizontal sticks forming stairs to an Eagle put on the top of the stick during their rituals. The eagle was regarded, for example, as a holy bird, a protective spirit, and the guardian of heaven. It was also a symbol of potency and fertility. Eagles on tombstones reflected the Shamanistic belief that the souls of the dead rose up to Heaven in the form of birds or were accompanied and protected by the eagle while traveling in the underworld and the sky. Eagle also was believed to be a carrier of prayers to the sky. The Altaic figures carved into rocks suggest that the eagle also was a sign of grandeur and magnificence among the Turks. ------------------------------- The Turkish shamanistic religious heritage of Asian roots survived to some extent after their acceptance of Islam and migration westwards. The metaphorical meaning of the name of Tougrul Beig (993-1063 A.D.) who founded the Seljuk State as its foremost commander was “Eagle”. The spirit of the Türkmen is accepted as 'horse' in the fifth and as “eagle” in the third period. ------------------------------------- At the time of Seljuks, the existence of the Sumerian and Hittite peoples and languages was not suspected. The first major excavations leading to the discovery of such civilizations and their remnants were conducted only after the mid 19th century. ---------------------------------- In mediæval and modern heraldry eagles are often said to indicate that the armiger (person bearing the arms) was courageous, a man of action and judicious. Where an eagle's wings were spread (“displayed”) it was said to indicate the bearer’s rôle as a protector. When mythological beasts are used, such as a griffin (part eagle, part lion) they indicate that the bearer of the arms possessed a combination of those animals’ qualities.