Vexillology

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Flag of the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques.
Flag of the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques.

Vexillology is the scholarly study of flags. The term was coined in 1957 by the American scholar Whitney Smith, the author of many books and articles on the subject. It was originally considered a sub-discipline of heraldry, and is still occasionally seen as such. It is also sometimes considered a branch of semiotics. [1] It is formally defined in the FIAV (Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques) constitution as "the creation and development of a body of knowledge about flags of all types, their forms and functions, and of scientific theories and principles based on that knowledge." A person who studies flags is a vexillologist, and by extension, a person who designs flags is a vexillographer.

The word "vexillology" is a synthesis of the Latin word vexillum and the suffix –ology meaning "study of". The vexillum was a particular type of flag used by Roman legions during the classical era. Unlike most modern flags which are suspended from a pole or mast along a vertical side, the square vexillum was suspended from a horizontal crossbar along its top side, which was attached to a spear.

Vexillologists are active in dozens of national associations within FIAV. Every second year, FIAV organizes the International Congress of Vexillology (ICV). The 2007 ICV was hosted in Berlin, Germany; the 2009 ICV will be hosted in Yokohama, Japan. Internet activity of vexillologists is centered on the Flags of the World website and mailing list.

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Flag designs exhibit a number of regularities, arising from a variety of practical concerns, historical circumstances, and cultural prescriptions that have shaped and continue to shape their evolution.

First among the practical issues confronting a vexillographer is the necessity for the design to be manufactured (and often mass produced) into or onto a piece of cloth, which will subsequently be hoisted aloft in the outdoors to represent an organization, individual, or idea. In this respect, flag design departs considerably from logo design: whereas logos are predominantly still images to be read off a page, screen, or billboard, flags are alternately draped and fluttering images to be seen from a variety of distances and angles. The prevalence of simple bold colors and shapes in flag design attests to these practical issues.

Flag design is also a historical process in which current designs often refer back to previous designs, effectively quoting, elaborating, or commenting upon them. Families of current flags may derive from a few common ancestors as in the cases of the Pan-African colors, the Pan-Arab colors, the Pan-Slavic colors, the Nordic Cross, and the national flags inspired by the flag of Turkey.

Certain cultures prescribe the proper design of flags, through heraldic or other authoritative systems. In certain cases, prescription may be based on religious principles; see, for example, Islamic flags. As a discipline, vexillology is beginning to promote design principles based on a body of research on flag history and design. Prominent examples are Ted Kaye's five Good Flag, Bad Flag principles published and endorsed by the North American Vexillological Association:

  1. Keep It Simple: The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.
  2. Use Meaningful Symbolism: The flag’s images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
  3. Use 2–3 Basic Colors: Limit the number of colors on the flag to three, which contrast well and come from the standard color set.
  4. No Lettering or Seals: Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal.
  5. Be Distinctive or Be Related: Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections.

  • Graham Bartram, Chief Vexillologist of the Flag Institute, and Secretary-General for Congresses of FIAV
  • William Crampton, founder of the Flag Institute
  • Marc Leepson, author of Flag: An American Biography
  • Michel Lupant, current president of the FIAV
  • Ottfried Neubecker, most important German vexillologist, author of the German navy Flaggenbuch of 1939
  • George H. Preble, author in 1872 of the influential, if lore-filled, History of the American Flag
  • Rudolf Siegel, author of the influential book Die Flagge, published in 1912
  • Whitney Smith, founder of the Flag Research Center, editor of the Flag Bulletin, and coiner of the word "Vexillology" in 1957

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