gurges

A whirlpool.

It was early—only ten p.m.—but already gurgeses of light and gales of sound frothed in unison to a familiar relentless heartbeat.

A series of typically four to six concentric annulets (in early heraldry, from at least the 1200s), or a spiralling line from the centre to the edge of the shield (in late heraldry); a stylized whirlpool.

Argent, a gurges azure, is borne by GORGES, of Langford, Wilts., created a Baronet 1612. As the gurges (like the fountain) represents water, argent and azure are its proper tinctures.

A shield of arms of early shape : three gurgeses (or roundles charged with a central pellet and two annulets concentric), two and one.