This iconography can be found in other Bronze Age pieces of art in the area as well. It features a seated man and a kneeling woman facing each other, with a star in between. While the origin of the flag remains a mystery, the oldest flag discovered is actually made of bronze and is called a Derafsh or 'flag-like' Shahdad, which was found in Shahdad, Iran, and dates back to c. Examples include the Sassanid battle standard Derafsh Kaviani, and the standards of the Roman legions such as the eagle of Augustus Caesar's Xth legion and the dragon standard of the Sarmatians the latter was allowed to fly freely in the wind, carried by a horseman, but depictions suggest that it bore more similarity to an elongated dragon kite than to a simple flag. In antiquity, field signs or standards that can be categorised as vexilloid or 'flag-like' were used in warfare, which originated in ancient Egypt or Assyria. Ships with vexilloids were represented on predynastic Egyptian pottery c. The origin of the flag is unknown and it remains unclear when the first flag was raised. In Spain, a flag (Spanish: bandera code: spa promoted to code: es ) is a battalion-equivalent in the Spanish Legion.īronze flag Derafsh Shahdad found in Shahdad, Iran, third millennium BC A flag (Arabic: لواء code: ara promoted to code: ar ) is equivalent to a brigade in Arab countries. Some military units are called 'flags' after their use of flags. Flags are also used in messaging, advertising, or for decorative purposes. National flags are patriotic symbols with widely varied interpretations that often include strong military associations because of their original and ongoing use for that purpose. The study of flags is known as ' vexillology' from the Latin vexillum, meaning 'flag' or ' banner'.

Many flags fall into groups of similar designs called flag families. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed, and flags have evolved into a general tool for rudimentary signalling and identification, especially in environments where communication is challenging (such as the maritime environment, where semaphore is used). It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. Jaan Künnap with the flag of Estonia at the top of Lenin Peak (7,134 m ) in 1989.Ī flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. Setting up a flag could also possess the meaning of conquering something.

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