Our Coat of Arms

  

Historically, the Coat of Arms of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) consists of the following elements:

The crest is formed by a lynx, a member of the wild cat family with exceptional vision. The lynx holds aloft an archaic instrument called an Exploratorium in its forepaws, used in the Marian operation for stone, first described by Marianus, Sanctus de Bartella, in his second book Libellus aureus (1543) a landmark text in the history of urology.

The mantling (fabric originally used to provide protection both from the impact of sword blows to the helmet and the heat of the sun in battle) is held in place by a wreath which forms the base for the crest, all of which sit atop a visored steel helmet turned to the right.

The escutcheon, or shield, is divided vertically in two to represent both Australia and New Zealand and features the charge - a representation of the view seen through a cystoscope of the bladder neck with the lobes of the prostate - a symbol often associated with urology.

The supporters standing either side of the shield are St. Cosmos and St. Damian, two early exponents of uroscopy - twin brothers and Christian doctors - both martyred under the Roman emperor Diocletian (243-313). The brothers have been the patron saints of barbers and surgeons throughout Europe since the time of Emperor Justinian (482-565).

The motto of the Society 'juncta per aquam' appears on the scroll at the bottom of the coat of arms and translates as 'joined across the water' representing the connection between Australia and New Zealand.

In 2011, The Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand revised it's coat of arms to give it a more contemporary feel and to better represent the organisation and its work in modern communications. The updated Coat of Arms retains all of the main elements from the historical Coat of Arms in a simplified and more streamlined format. 

 


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