Coat of arms of Warsaw
The coat of arms of Warsaw consists of a syrenka ("little mermaid") in a red field. This imagery has been in use since at least the mid-14th century. The syrenka has traditionally held a silver sword although this does not appear on more recent versions. History The first coat of arms of Warsaw depicted a dragon with a male human head, carrying a sword and a shield. The first known usage was on a seal from 1390. This is the oldest existing armed seal of Warsaw, consisting of a round seal bordered with the Latin inscription Sigilium Civitatis Varsoviensis (Seal of the city of Warsaw). Gradually the male head and body was replaced with that of a female, and by the end of 16th century the tail was also changed from that of a dragon to that of a fish. The only remaining parts of the original coat of arms are the sword and shield. Beginning in the early 17th century Warsaw records associate a sword-wielding mermaid with the city. Since 1622, the Warsaw arms have been rendered as a mermaid with sword and shield in hand, representing Melusina from the River Vistula (Wisła), who in legend led Duke Bolesław