CPlay-Hippocamp and ship-240503.pdf

The Ship on the crate and the hippocamp hidden in the playground was inspired by Timaru’s Coat of Arms.

The Timaru District Councils, now defunked Coat of Arms were granted on October 18, 1977.

These heraldic emblems also apply to the whole District. The Coat of Arms by the District Council has been approved by the NZ Herald of Arms.

• The chevron symbolises the proximity to Mount Cook; the fleeces and plough refer to the agricultural character of the area.
• The ships refer to the dependence of the city to the sea, which is further symbolised by the sea horseas and waves.
• The sun refers to the sunny climate and the kiwi is the obvious symbol for New Zealand.
• The motto means "No Reward Without Effort".

A horse with a fishtail is known as a Hippocampus.

Its origins trace back to ancient Egyptians who painted eyes on their boats to ward off evil spirits.

The Greeks expanded upon this tradition, incorporating Greek mythology into their ship figureheads.

These majestic creatures were associated with sea gods like Poseidon, who used them to pull his chariot through the sea.

Hippocampi lived secretive lives in the ocean, mainly keeping to themselves, yet they were trusted companions to the gods and were considered good omens to sailors and sea nymphs.

Over time, ship figureheads evolved into the likeness of women, often representing the ship owner's wife or daughter.

In Timaru's crest, the hippocampus wore a necklace with a "T" for Timaru, which was humorously changed to a "C" by Cplay, along with placing the hippocampus on a yellow horse, dubbed the "C horse."

It's important to distinguish hippocampi from other water horses like the Scottish Kelpie, as the former are peaceful creatures while the latter are often seen as malevolent sea monsters.

Another interesting fact about the Hippocampus is that it’s not the only fish-tailed creature in Greek mythology. You may also know about the following:

The Leokampos – The Fish – Tailed Lion
The Taurokampos – The Fish-Tailed Bull
The Pardalokampos – The Fish-Tailed
The Aigikampos – The Fish-Tailed Goat