In heraldry, the shield or coat of arms is the physical support, located in the center of the armories (heraldic achievement). The main element of a heraldic achievement is the shield or crest, on which the coat of arms is represented. All other elements of an achievement are designed to decorate and complement these weapons, but only the coat of arms is required. The blazon can also be understood as the heraldic description of a coat of arms or armory (the latter word having synonymous with heraldry) of a person belonging to the medieval nobility or to the Catholic Church (ecclesiastical heraldry). This heraldic description can be extended to exterior ornaments, paraheraldic elements that accompany the shield. The shield represents the shield carried by the men-at-arms, as one of the elements of their combat panoply.