In heraldry, the cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is a richly expressive symbol of abundance, prosperity, generosity, and fruitful increase, traditionally associated with a land or household blessed with harvests, resources, and the means to sustain others. Because it pours out fruits, grain, flowers, or sometimes coins, it can point not only to agricultural fertility and rural wealth but also to commercial success, civic plenty, and the good government of a thriving community; in some contexts it also suggests hospitality, beneficence, and the hope of peace rather than war. Its roots lie in classical mythology, where the horn of plenty was linked with divine nourishment and inexhaustible bounty, and that background gave it a learned, dignified appeal in later heraldry, especially in civic, institutional, and national arms.

A well-known example appears in the coat of arms of Peru, where a cornucopia spills gold coins to signify the nation’s mineral wealth, while in other heraldic traditions it is often used in the arms of towns, provinces, and public bodies to represent local produce, trade, or economic flourishing. Less martial than swords or beasts but no less eloquent, the cornucopia tells the viewer that the bearer wished to be known for richness of resource, generosity of spirit, and the blessings of a well-provisioned and flourishing estate.