The shield of the Coat of Arms is divided into three sections by a vertical line and an inverted V. The base section represents a ship in full sail on waves of the sea. The two upper sections show tools of the timber industry in Belize: a paddle and a squaring axe in the right section and a saw and a beating axe in the left section.
Supporting the shield are two woodcutters, the one on the right holding a beating axe over his shoulder in his right hand, and the one on the left holding a paddle over his shoulder in his left hand. Above the shield rises a mahogany tree. Below the shield is the motto scroll.
A wreath of 50 leaves (25 leaves proper or desussate) encircles the Coat of Arms, and is thought to symbolize the year 1950 when the anti-colonial Peoples Committee (precursor to the P.U.P.) was formed. But it is known by a few that the Father of independence George Price, former seminarian and avowed numerologist, suggested 25 leaves proper. The number 25 represents Grace Upon Grace in the bible and appears several times in the book. The Coat of Arms embodies an important aspect of the history of Belize, as the mahogany industry formed the basis of our economy in the 18th and 19th centuries. NATIONAL MOTTO: “Sub Umbra Floreo” – These Latin words mean, “Under The Shade I Flourish”.
Official description of the Belize Coat of Arms
From the Royal College of Heraldry in the U.K. issued by Armiger Elizabeth II, Queen of Belize at Belize’s Independence 1981:
Crest – A mahogany tree proper
Compartment – A grassy field proper
Escutcheon – Party per pall inverted, 1st Argent a paddle and a squaring axe proper in saltire 2nd Or a saw and beating axe proper in saltire 3rd per fess bleu celeste and barry wavy or vert azure above the last a sailing ship proper
Supporters – Dexter a Mestizo (revised post-independence to Belizean Mestizo) woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the dexter hand a beating axe, sinister an African (revised post-independence to Afro Belizean) woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the sinister hand a paddle proper.
Other elements – The whole surrounded by a wreath of 25 leaves proper