uruguay emblem mouse mat

The coat of arms of Uruguay or Uruguayan shield (Spanish: Escudo de Armas del Estado) was first adopted by law on March 19, 1829, and later on had some minor modification in 1906 and 1908. It consists of an oval shield, which is divided into four equal sections and crowned by a rising golden sun, the “Sun of May”, symbolising the rising of the Uruguayan nation and the May Revolution. The oval is surrounded by a laurel branch on the left and an olive one on the right, representing honour and peace, joined at the bottom by a light blue ribbon, the former uruguayan cockade. In the upper left quarter there is a golden scale on a blue background, symbol of equality and justice. The upper right quarter contains the Cerro de Montevideo (Montevideo Hill) with its fortress on top on a silver background, as a symbol of strength. In the lower left, also on a silver background, there is a galloping black horse, symbolising liberty. The lower right quarter holds a golden ox on blue background, as a symbol of abundance.