Great Seal > Symbols > Description Official 1782 Description of the Great Seal The Great Seal approved by Congress on June 20, 1782 is this written description of the two-sided design Charles Thomson submitted along with a brief explanation of the design. No drawings of the Great Seal were submitted to or adopted by Congress. The original form of the Great Seal is this written description that uses heraldic language to precisely describe the appearance of the imagery. Called a "blazon," it is the starting point for creating an accurate die or illustration of the Great Seal. Continental Congress – June 20, 1782 Blazon of the Great Seal of the United States The Secretary of the United States in Congress assembled to whom were referred the several reports of committees on the device for a great seal, to take order, reports That the Device for an Armorial Achievement & Reverse of the great seal of the United States in Congress assembled is as follows.– Arms Paleways of thirteen pieces Argent and Gules: a Chief, Azure. The Escutcheon on the breast of the American bald Eagle displayed, proper, holding in his dexter talon an Olive branch, and in his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper, & in his beak a scroll, inscribed with this Motto. "E pluribus unum".– For the Crest Over the head of the Eagle which appears above the Escutcheon, A Glory, Or, breaking through a cloud, proper, & surrounding thirteen stars forming a Constellation, Argent, on an Azure field.– Reverse A Pyramid unfinished. In the Zenith an Eye in a triangle surrounded with a glory proper. Over the Eye these words "Annuit Coeptis". On the base of the pyramid the numerical letters MDCCLXXVI & underneath the following motto. "novus ordo seclorum" Along with the above description approved by Congress, Thomson also submitted some brief remarks about the symbolism of the design, the only official explanation offered about the meaning of the Great Seal. Read Thomson's Remarks and Explanation. Glossary of Heraldic Terms used in the Blazon argent = silver azure = blue chief = top part of the shield dexter = right escutcheon = shield gules = red or = gold or yellow paleways, pieces = vertical stripes on the shield proper = the element's natural color sinister = left In its purest form, the Great Seal exists as words describing an image. An illustration based on this written description is called a "realization." The problem is, many realizations and dies are not based on the original Great Seal blazon. Instead, they are derived from other realizations or dies that may be inaccurate. For example, most dies of the Great Seal copied an error in the first die which did not show the rays of light breaking through a cloud as specified in the blazon. See the first realizations of the Great Seal. Some of the most accurate realizations are on the Indian Peace Medals given by President Washington. Seven different dies of the Great Seal have been used since 1782, but the original written description remains unchanged. The 13 stars on the first American flag may have influenced the hexagram shape of the Great Seal's constellation of stars, a shape not specified in the blazon. What is a Seal? – How is the Great Seal Used? Main Sections of GreatSeal.com Preliminary Designs suggested by three committees Myth and Misinformation about the Great Seal Symbols on the Seal's two sides Mottoes of the Great Seal Front page overview