Editing Vexillology

{{Short description|Study of flags}}
{{For|the Deadmau5 album|Deadmau5 discography#Studio albums{{!}}''Vexillology'' (album)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2023}}
[[File:Flag of FIAV.svg|thumb|220px|alt=A blue flag depicting a knot tied in yellow.|The flag of the [[International Federation of Vexillological Associations]] depicts a [[sheet bend]].]]

'''Vexillology''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|v|ɛ|k|s|ɪ|ˈ|l|ɒ|l|ə|dʒ|i}} {{respell|VEK|sih|LOL|ə|jee}}) is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of [[flag]]s or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.<ref name="WSbook">Smith, Whitney. ''Flags Through the Ages and Across the World'' New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Print.</ref>

A person who studies flags is a [[list of vexillologists|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.

==Etymology==
The word vexillology is a synthesis of the Latin word {{lang|la|[[vexillum]]}} (a kind of square flag which was carried by Roman cavalry)<ref>{{cite web |title=Vexillum |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexillum |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916222219/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexillum |archive-date=16 September 2020 |access-date=15 September 2020 |website=Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary}}</ref> and the Greek suffix {{Transliteration|grc|[[-logy|-logia]]}} ("study").<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vexillology |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/vexillology |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=Dictionary.com |language=en}}</ref>

==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."<ref>{{cite web |title=Vexillology |url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/vxt-vex.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024040950/http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/vxt-vex.html |archive-date=2016-10-24 |access-date=2017-11-03 |publisher=CRW Flags }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Vexillology |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexillology |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917022839/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexillology |archive-date=17 September 2020 |access-date=15 September 2020 |website=Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary}}</ref> Before this time, the study of flags was generally considered a part of [[heraldry]], the study of armorial bearings.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fox-Davies |first=Arthur Charles |url=https://archive.org/details/completeguidetoh00foxdrich |title=A Complete Guide to Heraldry |publisher=T.C. & E.C. Jack |year=1909 |isbn=9781602390010 |location=London, Edinburgh |page=1 |oclc=913797670}}</ref>

Vexillology was formalized by American scholar Smith in 1961 with the publication of ''The Flag Bulletin''.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Consider Vexillology |url=https://semioticon.com/semiotix/2013/05/consider-vexillology/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401212707/https://semioticon.com/semiotix/2013/05/consider-vexillology/ |archive-date=2018-04-01 |access-date=2018-04-01 |website=semioticon.com – SemiotiX}}</ref> During his lifetime, Smith organized various flag organizations and meetings including the first [[International Federation of Vexillological Associations#International Congresses of Vexillology|International Congress of Vexillology]] (ICV), the [[North American Vexillological Association]], and the [[International Federation of Vexillological Associations]] (FIAV).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vulliamy |first1=Elsa |date=December 15, 2015 |title=Which flag is it? Take our quiz to find out |work=[[The Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/puzzles-and-games/quizzes/can-you-recognise-these-flags-a6774121.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220817/https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/puzzles-and-games/quizzes/can-you-recognise-these-flags-a6774121.html |archive-date=2022-08-17}}</ref>

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''.<ref name=":0" />

==Vexillological organizations==
The International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) is vexillology's international umbrella organization. Notable constituent organizations include the [[North American Vexillological Association]],  {{lang|de|{{ill|German Vexillological Association|lt=Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flaggenkunde|de|Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flaggenkunde}}}}(English: 'German Society for Flag Studies'), and [[Flags of the World (website)|Flags of the World]] (FOTW).<ref name="current">{{cite web |date=2022-10-16 |title=Current Members |url=https://fiav.org/current-members/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418151221/https://fiav.org/current-members/ |archive-date=2021-04-18 |access-date=2023-02-17 |publisher=[[International Federation of Vexillological Associations]]}}</ref>

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 Lyon<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-45005157. | title=New Flag Expert Appointed for Scotland}}</ref> in a rare example of a dedicated state mandated vexillologist.

==See also==
{{Portal|Heraldry and Vexillology}}
* [[Glossary of vexillology]]
* [[List of flags by design]]
* [[List of national flags by design]]
* [[List of vexillologists]]
* [[Vexilloid]]
* [[Vexillological symbol]]
* [[Good Flag, Bad Flag]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Leepson, Marc. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=qqjzyyZjYTEC 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}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website|https://fiav.org/}} of the [[International Federation of Vexillological Associations]]

{{Vexillology}}
{{Heraldry}}
{{Phaleristics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Vexillology| ]]