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Vexillology
Study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags

Vexillology is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.

A person who studies flags is a vexillologist, one who designs flags is a vexillographer, and the art of designing flags is called vexillography. A hobbyist or general admirer of flags is a vexillophile.

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Etymology

The word vexillology is a synthesis of the Latin word vexillum (a kind of square flag which was carried by Roman cavalry)2 and the Greek suffix -logia ("study").3

History

American scholar Whitney Smith is acknowledged for conceiving "vexillology" in 1957. He wrote, "While the use of flags goes back to the earliest days of human civilization, the study of that usage in a serious fashion is so recent that the term for it did not appear in print until 1959."45 Before this time, the study of flags was generally considered a part of heraldry, the study of armorial bearings.6

Vexillology was formalized by American scholar Smith in 1961 with the publication of The Flag Bulletin.7 During his lifetime, Smith organized various flag organizations and meetings including the first International Congress of Vexillology (ICV), the North American Vexillological Association, and the International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV).8

Vexillology involves academic work in sociology, history, or design. It also includes contributions from the flag industry and interest from those passionate about flags. The ICV and local vexillological meetings often cover a wide range of interests in flags. Since 1969, an International Congress of Vexillology meeting has been organized every two years under the auspices of FIAV; papers presented at an ICV are published afterwards as the Congress's Proceedings.9

Vexillological organizations

The International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) is vexillology's international umbrella organization. Notable constituent organizations include the North American Vexillological Association, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flaggenkunde [de](English: 'German Society for Flag Studies'), and Flags of the World (FOTW).10

All Scottish flags must, by law, be authorised by Lord Lyon for recording in the 'Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland' and he appointed Philip Tibbetts from the UK Flag Institute to the newly created role of Honorary Vexillologist to the Court of the Lord Lyon11 in a rare example of a dedicated state mandated vexillologist.

See also

  • Heraldry and Vexillology portal

Further reading

  • Leepson, Marc. Flag: An American Biography. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2005. ISBN 0312323093.
  • Marshall, Tim. A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of Flag. 2016. ISBN 1501168347.
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References

  1. Smith, Whitney. Flags Through the Ages and Across the World New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Print. ↩

  2. "Vexillum". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexillum ↩

  3. "Vexillology". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2024-02-22. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/vexillology ↩

  4. "Vexillology". CRW Flags. Archived from the original on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2017-11-03. http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/vxt-vex.html ↩

  5. "Vexillology". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexillology ↩

  6. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1909). A Complete Guide to Heraldry. London, Edinburgh: T.C. & E.C. Jack. p. 1. ISBN 9781602390010. OCLC 913797670. 9781602390010 ↩

  7. "Consider Vexillology". semioticon.com – SemiotiX. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-04-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20180401212707/https://semioticon.com/semiotix/2013/05/consider-vexillology/ ↩

  8. Vulliamy, Elsa (December 15, 2015). "Which flag is it? Take our quiz to find out". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-08-17. Retrieved March 13, 2016. https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/puzzles-and-games/quizzes/can-you-recognise-these-flags-a6774121.html ↩

  9. "Consider Vexillology". semioticon.com – SemiotiX. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-04-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20180401212707/https://semioticon.com/semiotix/2013/05/consider-vexillology/ ↩

  10. "Current Members". International Federation of Vexillological Associations. 2022-10-16. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2023-02-17. https://fiav.org/current-members/ ↩

  11. "New Flag Expert Appointed for Scotland". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-45005157. ↩