In heraldry, a pattern of small shield-shaped charges repeated across a field, often used in historical coats of arms.
From burel (the fabric) plus -age suffix. The term emerged in heraldic terminology, possibly because the pattern resembles the weave of rough fabric.
Burelage in heraldry is basically the old visual equivalent of a background pattern—medieval families used it to fill their shields because leaving it blank looked boring and unfinished.
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