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Decorations, campaign medals, the ribbons they hang from and the small devices pinned to those ribbons — which is usually the part you actually want identified.
Read a medal in four passes, because each answers a different question and they are easy to run together. The medal itself says what was awarded: a disc is usually a campaign medal, and a cross or a star more often a decoration for a specific act. The ribbon identifies it at a glance and is what a wearer shows on ordinary dress, as a bar with no medals attached at all. The devices on the ribbon are the modifiers, and they divide cleanly in two — a clasp is inscribed and names a campaign or action, while a star, an oak leaf cluster, a rosette or a numeral is uninscribed and counts a repeat award. The motifs in the design — stars, crowns, wreaths, wings, anchors — come last, and they are the part that carries the least reliable information.
The reason to take the motifs last is that they are shared across traditions that read them differently. A star on one country's award and a star on another's are not saying the same thing, and neither is saying what a star says on a shoulder board. Where a record here states what a motif means, an official source states it; where no source does, the record describes the form and stops.
A device on a ribbon is not a rank. The service star attracts this error constantly because a star of very similar form marks rank on collars and shoulder boards, and the two have nothing to do with each other. Nor does a row of campaign medals say anything about gallantry: campaign medals record presence for a qualifying period and are issued to everyone who served. Symbolwise describes these awards in words and does not reproduce their artwork — several are protected by statute, and a factual description is the more useful thing anyway.
These records say so themselves — the setting appears in the symbol's own reviewed description or in one of its documented meanings.
A medal awarded for service in a named conflict or theatre.
Its description places it there: “A medal awarded for service in a named conflict or theatre”
A cross-shaped decoration — the dominant form for gallantry awards in Europe.
Its visual description places it there: “A cross-shaped medal with four arms of equal length, the arms either…”
A crown on a decoration, marking the sovereign as the source of the honour.
Its visual description places it there: “…and cross, worked in relief at the top of a medal or its suspender”
An award for a specific act of courage, as distinct from service.
Its summary places it there: “…being somewhere. The distinction from a campaign medal is the most important one in reading a medal…”
A metal bar fixed across a medal's ribbon, naming a campaign or action.
Its description places it there: “A metal bar fixed across a medal's ribbon, naming a campaign or action”
A five-pointed star suspended from a light blue ribbon, the highest US military decoration.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Commonly called the Congressional Medal of Honor. The formal name has no such word; it…”
A half-size copy of a medal, worn with evening dress.
Its description places it there: “A half-size copy of a medal, worn with evening dress”
A small metal numeral on a ribbon, counting awards or tours.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…devices would become unreadable: the US Air Medal and several service awards use numerals rather…”
A small cluster of oak leaves worn on a ribbon to mark a repeat award.
Its visual description places it there: “…acorns among them, pinned lengthwise across a medal ribbon”
A purple heart-shaped medal bearing a profile of George Washington.
Its description places it there: “A purple heart-shaped medal bearing a profile of George Washington”
How the parts of a medal group fit together — medal, ribbon, clasp, device and the order they are worn in.
Its description places it there: “How the parts of a medal group fit together — medal, ribbon, clasp, device…”
A row of short ribbon lengths worn in place of the medals themselves.
Its description places it there: “…of short ribbon lengths worn in place of the medals themselves”
A small metal mark on a ribbon.
Its summary places it there: “The small device attached to a medal ribbon to record a repeat award or a specific…”
A small star worn on a military medal ribbon to count campaigns or awards.
Its description places it there: “A small star worn on a military medal ribbon to count campaigns or awards”
A star on a decoration — the commonest award motif, and the least transferable.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…form used on decorations, orders and campaign medals across essentially every national honours system…”
How a medal hangs from its ribbon — ring, straight bar or ornate suspender.
Its description places it there: “How a medal hangs from its ribbon — ring, straight bar or…”
A bronze cross pattée bearing a lion and crown, the highest British gallantry award.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…over every other British order, decoration and medal”
Outspread wings on a badge or decoration, chiefly marking aviation.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…award, which is a different kind of claim from a medal”
If you can describe what you saw as well as where, say both: “winged skull on a gravestone” narrows a list of 18 to a handful.