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Vexillology ( ) is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of
flag A flag is a piece of textile, fabric (most often rectangular) with distinctive colours and design. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design employed, and fla ...
s or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.Smith, Whitney. ''Flags Through the Ages and Across the World'' New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Print. A person who studies flags is a vexillologist, one who designs flags is a vexillographer, and the art of designing flags is called
vexillography Vexillography ( ) is the art and practice of designing flags; a person who designs flags is a vexillographer. Vexillo''graphy'' is allied with vexillology, vexillo''logy'', the scholarly study of flags, but is not synonymous with that discipline. ...
. A hobbyist or general admirer of flags is a vexillophile.


Etymology

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


History

American scholar
Whitney Smith Whitney Smith Jr. (February 26, 1940 – November 17, 2016) was an American vexillologist. He coined the term ''vexillology'', which refers to the scholarly analysis of all aspects of flags. He was a founder of several vexillology organizat ...
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." Before this time, the study of flags was generally considered a part of
heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...
, the study of armorial bearings. Vexillology was formalized by American scholar Smith in 1961 with the publication of ''The Flag Bulletin''. During his lifetime, Smith organized various flag organizations and meetings including the first International Congress of Vexillology (ICV), the
North American Vexillological Association The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith, and others. Its membership of 1,100+ comprises flag s ...
, and the
International Federation of Vexillological Associations The ; IFoVA (; FIAV) is an international federation of 53 regional, national, and multinational associations and institutions across the globe that study vexillology, which FIAV defines in its constitution as "the creation and development of a ...
(FIAV). Vexillology involves academic work in
sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...
, 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''.


Vexillological organizations

The International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) is vexillology's international umbrella organization. Notable constituent organizations include the
North American Vexillological Association The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith, and others. Its membership of 1,100+ comprises flag s ...
, (English: 'German Society for Flag Studies'), and Flags of the World (FOTW). All Scottish flags must, by law, be authorised by
Lord Lyon The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new gran ...
for recording in the 'Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland' and he appointed
Philip Tibbetts Philip Tibbetts is a British officer of arms and vexillologist who currently serves as the March Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary at the Court of the Lord Lyon in Scotland. He was appointed to the office on 1 September 2021, and is also the fi ...
from the UK
Flag Institute The Flag Institute is a membership organisation and UK-registered educational charity devoted to the study and promotion of flags and flag flying. It documents flags in the UK and around the world, maintains a UK Flag Registry, and offers advic ...
to the newly created role of Honorary Vexillologist to the Court of the Lord Lyon in a rare example of a dedicated state mandated vexillologist.


See also

*
Glossary of vexillology Flag terminology is the nomenclature, or system of terms, used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display. Flag types ...
*
List of flags by design This is a list of flags, arranged by design, serving as a navigational aid for identifying a given flag. Uncharged flags are flags that either are solid or contain only rectangles, squares and crosses but no crescents, circles, stars, triangles, ...
*
List of national flags by design A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a country or nation-state. Flags come in many shapes and designs, which often represent something about the country or people that the flag represents. Common design elements of flags in ...
*
List of vexillologists {{short description, List of persons known for their study or creation of flags This is a list of vexillologists. * Grace Rogers Cooper (1924–2004), former curator of textiles, Smithsonian Institution; former president (1983-1986) and first female ...
*
Vexilloid A vexilloid is any flag-like (vexillary) object used by countries, organisations, or individuals as a form of representation other than flags. American vexillologist Whitney Smith coined the term ''vexilloid'' in 1958, defining it as This inclu ...
*
Vexillological symbol Vexillological symbols are used by vexillologists to indicate certain characteristics of flags, such as where they are used, who uses them, and what they look like. The symbols were created by vexillologist Whitney Smith and then adopted by the ...
*
Good Flag, Bad Flag The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith, and others. Its membership of 1,100+ comprises flag s ...


References


Further reading

* Leepson, Marc.
Flag: An American Biography
'. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2005. . * Marshall, Tim. ''A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of Flag''. 2016. .


External links

* of the
International Federation of Vexillological Associations The ; IFoVA (; FIAV) is an international federation of 53 regional, national, and multinational associations and institutions across the globe that study vexillology, which FIAV defines in its constitution as "the creation and development of a ...
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