The Shakespeare knot, a type of decorative unknot

Unknot

The unknot arises in the mathematical theory of knots. Intuitively, the unknot is a closed loop of rope without a knot in it. A knot theorist would describe the unknot as an image of any embedding that can be deformed, i.e. ambient-isotoped, to the standard unknot, i.e. the embedding of the...

, is a heraldic knot

Heraldic knot

A heraldic knot is a knot, unknot, or design incorporating a knot used in European heraldry. While a given knot can be used on more than one family's achievement of arms, the family on whose coat the knot originated usually gives its name to the said knot...

. It is a derivative of the Bowen knot

Bowen knot

The Bowen knot is not a true knot, but is rather a heraldic knot, sometimes used in heraldic designs. It consists of a rope in the form of a continuous loop laid out as an upright square shape with loops at each of the four corners...

 and closely akin to the Dacre knot

Dacre knot

The Dacre knot, a type of decorative unknot, is a heraldic knot used primarily in English heraldry. It is most notable for its appearance on the Dacre family heraldic badge, where its two lower dexter loops entwine a scallop, and it two lower sinister loops entwine a log....

. The knot is most notable for its appearance on the Shakespeare badge.

A signet ring preserved in Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...

 said to have belonged to William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...

 bears the knot, where its lower dexter and sinister loops entwine a W

W

W is the 23rd letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet.In other Germanic languages, including German, its pronunciation is similar or identical to that of English V...

 (for William) and an S

S

S is the nineteenth letter in the ISO basic Latin alphabet.-History: Semitic Šîn represented a voiceless postalveolar fricative . Greek did not have this sound, so the Greek sigma came to represent...

(for Shakespeare).