noun
- a diamond-shaped heraldic panel displaying a coat of arms, traditionally hung outside the house of a deceased person
Usage: heraldic; historical
Examples
- The hatchment hung above the manor’s entrance for a full year of mourning.
- Medieval churches often displayed hatchments of noble families on their walls.
- The funeral hatchment bore the family’s coat of arms on a black background.
- After the duke’s death, his hatchment was placed in the cathedral.
- The heraldic hatchment indicated the deceased person’s rank and lineage.
- Victorian families would commission elaborate hatchments for prominent members.