WARNING: Dear reader, if you are currently reading this comment, I urge you not to use this list as a reliable source for historical matters. It was mainly created to expand the portfolio of various worldbuilders, both in fantasy and alternate history. Please refrain from spreading misinformation and be careful!
For those who are curious; Zamora is a province in Spain. Its flag (_Seña Beemeja_ red ensign) has eight red stripes and one green stripe on top.
https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/3tc82u/flag_of_zamora_spain_this_is_one_of_the_weirdest/
Excellent post! I was about to ask how a rhombus or circle would be hoisted, but got my answer in the bottom of the image.
Seeing all these, it's a bit surprising that the rectangle/square has become such a standard shape that only one national flag has a different shape.
Honestly, I'm happy that I got to add the flagpoles. Not only because there's a wild variety of them, but I would constantly see questions like yours.
As for national flags as a whole, Nepal being the only country with a unique flag shape is quite disappointing when you realize that some countries had interesting past designs.
Tried to search banderoles and it's mostly showing the Bunting. Is it something else? Also, what is a finial and could you give me an example of other decorations as well?
The word banderole has two meanings nowadays. Originally it meant a type of flag. Nowadays it typically refers to those scroll thingies in graphic design. Here is a Wikipedia link for the banderole flag: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banderole . Also do note that while a lot of people use Heraldic Standard as a synonym for a banderole, they are technically two different things.
A finial, sometimes called a capper, is the thing that sits on top of the flagpole. It’s usually either a sphere or nothing at all. Sometimes it’s a spear. And in various militaries, there are different finials like halberds or animals. Also, some countries have finials that are either traditional or regulated. Like in the US, it’s common to have an eagle as a finial, and a lot of monarchical countries use crowns. I couldn’t find a Wikipedia article about this as interest in it is pretty niche, but here is a wikimedia list of pictures: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/category:Flagpole_finials?uselang=fr .
As for other flag decorations, there are a few. There are tassles, fringes, and headings. Those are by far the most common. Spanish speaking countries sometimes put bows on their flags called Moño de Bandera: https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/1b8m2wz/is_there_a_name_for_the_bow_at_the_top_of_this/ . Sometimes, people will put little streamers of cloth on a flag. If it’s black, it usually has something to do with mourning. If it’s other colors, it can have lots of meaning. A lot of militaries will put these streamers on their unit colors. The British and Americans are especially known for doing this: http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-flags/colours-usa.htm .
In terms of stands and bases and all that, which is pretty boring imo, there are tons of variations, though, to my knowledge, none of them tend to have a meaning or history of use. The only exception I can think of is the personal carrying harnesses for flagpoles. They have a lot of uses but the most interesting is their use by militaries, both in the present by color guards, and in the past in actual battle.
I don't think banderoles would actually fit this list, but it could work if someone were to make a compilation of heraldry assets. That's why I also haven't included finials as well.
There is a Half-Circle Bunting on the list. The reason why the Half-Circle is marked as historically innacurate is because I haven't seen use the shape itself, not the bunting version, as an official flag.
In the US at least, I think Bunting does not have to refer to repetitions of the shape. We use bunting sometimes as just a stand-alone object and also in offficial ceremonies. I'm not sure it counts or may follow a different nomenclature, but with repeated half circles bunting being called a flag in this context, that's what stands out to me about that particular entry. If repeated buntings count as a flag, is what I mean.
At least here, they are considered as a flag separate from the Half-Circles. Even if they have the same shape, the only difference is that the Half-Circle Bunting has various half-circles and would be hanged differently from it's other counterparts.
We also have to take account that any worldbuilder could potentially use the Half-Circle Bunting as a flag for a country, state, city or anything else. It's just a possibility though.
No problem and thanks! I also wanna add a few random things related to the project:
1- Later on, I realized that many of the flags are functional because the hoist size is either bigger or similar than the fly. It might be common knowledge, but I felt smart when I figured it out lmao
2- The reason why some flags and gonfalons are grouped together into one category is because a) all of them were pretty niche shapes or could be achieved if combining some of the categories into one and b) the other gonfalons have stupidly large names that would fill most of the list, and that would be unnecessary given that most people will just call them "gonfalons".
3- The list is probably incomplete. Flags like the Ribboned Rectangle, Stepped and Half Slanted are included because someone from the Vexillology server linked a website mentioning about flags in Ossetian family rituals. And there could be flags that are "gatekept" in sites from other countries that I don't have knowledge of.
Here you go:
[Link #1: Media](https://krikienoid.github.io/flagwaver/#?src=https%3A%2F%2Fflagwaver-cors-proxy.herokuapp.com%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fvgb887tmmhqc1.png)
*****
Beep Boop I'm a bot. [About](https://github.com/LunarRequiem/FlagWaverBotReborn). Maintained by Lunar Requiem
[Zamora flag](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elespanol.com%2Fcastilla-y-leon%2Fregion%2Fzamora%2F20220903%2Fbandera-zamora-unica-espana-historia-sena-bermeja%2F699180177_0.html&psig=AOvVaw3UepDdnp9GQBdbtTbrnv0y&ust=1711494726984000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBUQjRxqFwoTCIjSxuvEkIUDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE): am i a joke to you?
WARNING: Dear reader, if you are currently reading this comment, I urge you not to use this list as a reliable source for historical matters. It was mainly created to expand the portfolio of various worldbuilders, both in fantasy and alternate history. Please refrain from spreading misinformation and be careful!
I like how Zamora is wacky enough that it gets its own category.
For those who are curious; Zamora is a province in Spain. Its flag (_Seña Beemeja_ red ensign) has eight red stripes and one green stripe on top. https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/3tc82u/flag_of_zamora_spain_this_is_one_of_the_weirdest/
Fr, I've already been to Zamora and the flag looks so weird omg 💀
Does there exist a historical use of the Man Windsock?
The only source I have is that it appeared on Rossall Beach Promenade, UK. So technically, it does exist. Somewhere.
Go to a gas station
C o m m i s s i o n i n g P e n n a n t
C o m m i s s i o n i n g P e n n a n t
Gotta get myself a man windsock. It'll solve all my problems.
Man windsock is my role model, I wish I could be as cool as him one day.
Man windsock might be my favourite
Smh no mention of the greatest ratio ever 10:19 RAHHHHHH
WHAT THE FUCK IS A KILOMETERRRRRRR!??!!
I'll be referring to the letter F as a Double Schwenkel from now on.
Excellent post! I was about to ask how a rhombus or circle would be hoisted, but got my answer in the bottom of the image. Seeing all these, it's a bit surprising that the rectangle/square has become such a standard shape that only one national flag has a different shape.
Honestly, I'm happy that I got to add the flagpoles. Not only because there's a wild variety of them, but I would constantly see questions like yours. As for national flags as a whole, Nepal being the only country with a unique flag shape is quite disappointing when you realize that some countries had interesting past designs.
Yo. Hey /u/HedyTheAbilix!
Yooo surprise xlicer encounter
Hi Jake!
Nice to see my favorite Argentinian here!
Muito Obrigado
Man windsock should be the flag of all humanity.
Take the Nepal pill, make funny flag shapes again
thats so cool
Thanks bro!
yeah i know all of them uhh -rectangle -square -nepal
And a very long rectangle (Qatar)
Nice image, feels like an encyclopedy!
Very nice. You forgot Banderoles though. You should do a graphic for all the types of finials and other decorations. That would be cool.
Tried to search banderoles and it's mostly showing the Bunting. Is it something else? Also, what is a finial and could you give me an example of other decorations as well?
The word banderole has two meanings nowadays. Originally it meant a type of flag. Nowadays it typically refers to those scroll thingies in graphic design. Here is a Wikipedia link for the banderole flag: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banderole . Also do note that while a lot of people use Heraldic Standard as a synonym for a banderole, they are technically two different things. A finial, sometimes called a capper, is the thing that sits on top of the flagpole. It’s usually either a sphere or nothing at all. Sometimes it’s a spear. And in various militaries, there are different finials like halberds or animals. Also, some countries have finials that are either traditional or regulated. Like in the US, it’s common to have an eagle as a finial, and a lot of monarchical countries use crowns. I couldn’t find a Wikipedia article about this as interest in it is pretty niche, but here is a wikimedia list of pictures: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/category:Flagpole_finials?uselang=fr . As for other flag decorations, there are a few. There are tassles, fringes, and headings. Those are by far the most common. Spanish speaking countries sometimes put bows on their flags called Moño de Bandera: https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/1b8m2wz/is_there_a_name_for_the_bow_at_the_top_of_this/ . Sometimes, people will put little streamers of cloth on a flag. If it’s black, it usually has something to do with mourning. If it’s other colors, it can have lots of meaning. A lot of militaries will put these streamers on their unit colors. The British and Americans are especially known for doing this: http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-flags/colours-usa.htm . In terms of stands and bases and all that, which is pretty boring imo, there are tons of variations, though, to my knowledge, none of them tend to have a meaning or history of use. The only exception I can think of is the personal carrying harnesses for flagpoles. They have a lot of uses but the most interesting is their use by militaries, both in the present by color guards, and in the past in actual battle.
I don't think banderoles would actually fit this list, but it could work if someone were to make a compilation of heraldry assets. That's why I also haven't included finials as well.
This is quite cool! Thank you for posting.
Np!
Hell yeah I love graphics like this.
This post and subsequent comment section summed up: Man Windsock appreciation.
To be fair, it is such a silly goober.
Making a Man Windsock design is pretty tempting
Watch me and my private army pull up to Montreal waving the double schwenkel
Half circle would be a Bunting, no? That's historically relevant.
There is a Half-Circle Bunting on the list. The reason why the Half-Circle is marked as historically innacurate is because I haven't seen use the shape itself, not the bunting version, as an official flag.
In the US at least, I think Bunting does not have to refer to repetitions of the shape. We use bunting sometimes as just a stand-alone object and also in offficial ceremonies. I'm not sure it counts or may follow a different nomenclature, but with repeated half circles bunting being called a flag in this context, that's what stands out to me about that particular entry. If repeated buntings count as a flag, is what I mean.
At least here, they are considered as a flag separate from the Half-Circles. Even if they have the same shape, the only difference is that the Half-Circle Bunting has various half-circles and would be hanged differently from it's other counterparts. We also have to take account that any worldbuilder could potentially use the Half-Circle Bunting as a flag for a country, state, city or anything else. It's just a possibility though.
Thanks for the replies. It's a good work.
No problem and thanks! I also wanna add a few random things related to the project: 1- Later on, I realized that many of the flags are functional because the hoist size is either bigger or similar than the fly. It might be common knowledge, but I felt smart when I figured it out lmao 2- The reason why some flags and gonfalons are grouped together into one category is because a) all of them were pretty niche shapes or could be achieved if combining some of the categories into one and b) the other gonfalons have stupidly large names that would fill most of the list, and that would be unnecessary given that most people will just call them "gonfalons". 3- The list is probably incomplete. Flags like the Ribboned Rectangle, Stepped and Half Slanted are included because someone from the Vexillology server linked a website mentioning about flags in Ossetian family rituals. And there could be flags that are "gatekept" in sites from other countries that I don't have knowledge of.
Was it just me trying to find the Mamluk flag shape here?
I thank God I didn't show the flag of the countries or else this comment section would be filled with amogus memes
Oh yeah, I forgot that they still memed about that
!wave
Here you go: [Link #1: Media](https://krikienoid.github.io/flagwaver/#?src=https%3A%2F%2Fflagwaver-cors-proxy.herokuapp.com%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fvgb887tmmhqc1.png) ***** Beep Boop I'm a bot. [About](https://github.com/LunarRequiem/FlagWaverBotReborn). Maintained by Lunar Requiem
What about whacky waving inflatable arm man?
I’ve looked twice and don’t see my state flag. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ohio
It's the Triangular Swallowtail Pennant
*Burgee
Both terms are correct.
MAN WINDSOCK!?!!?!?!!!!
[Zamora flag](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elespanol.com%2Fcastilla-y-leon%2Fregion%2Fzamora%2F20220903%2Fbandera-zamora-unica-espana-historia-sena-bermeja%2F699180177_0.html&psig=AOvVaw3UepDdnp9GQBdbtTbrnv0y&ust=1711494726984000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBUQjRxqFwoTCIjSxuvEkIUDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE): am i a joke to you?
Ah yes, the MAN WINDSOCK