Assyrian flag


The Assyrian flag is the flag chosen by the Assyrian people to represent the Assyrian nation in the homeland and in the diaspora.
George Bit Atanus first designed the flag in 1968; the Assyrian Universal Alliance, Assyrian National Federation and Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party all adopted it in 1971. The flag has a white background with a golden circle at the centre, surrounded by a four-pointed star in blue. Four triple-colored, widening, wavy stripes connect the center to the four corners of the flag. The figure of pre-Christian Assyrian god Assur, known from Iron Age iconography, features above the centre.

Symbolism

The golden circle at the centre that represents the sun, which, by its exploding and leaping flames, generates heat and light to sustain the earth and all its living things. The four pointed star surrounding the sun symbolizes the land, its light blue color symbolizing tranquility.
The wavy stripes extending from the center to the four corners of the flag represent the three major rivers of the Assyrian homeland: the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the Great Zab. The lines are small at the center and become wider as they spread out from the circle. The dark blue represents the Euphrates. The red stripes, whose blood red hue stands for courage, glory and pride, represent the Tigris. The white lines in between the two great rivers symbolizes the Great Zab; its white colour stands for tranquility and peace. Some interpret the red, white and blue will gather all the Assyrians back to their homeland to stand strong and fight for what they want and what they have gained.
The star on the flag is the old star symbol associated with Shamash, also known as Utu, the sun deity also associated with the planet Saturn. He was worshipped in the ancient Mesopotamian region. He was apparently the deity who provided leaders like Hammurabi, Ur-Nammu, and Gudea with divine laws.
The archer figure symbolizes the pre-Christian god Assur.

Previous flags

In 1975 the Assyrian American Federation designed an alternative Assyrian flag.
The pink, white, and red bars represented the loyalty, purity, and determination of the Assyrian people, and the three white stars represent the three names or components of the Assyrian nation, Assyrians, Syriacs/Arameans, and Chaldeans.
During the First World War, the Assyrian Volunteers commanded by Agha Petros used a red flag with a white cross. Agha Petros' personal standard was the flag of the Volunteers but made of silk, with a golden fringe added, and the words "Trust God and follow the Cross" written in Assyrian above the cross.

Gallery

Variants
Inspirations
Other flags