Flag or Christmas Sweater?
Something tells me this is a former Soviet republic thing.
Indeed, these three were all formerly part of the Soviet Union. The patterns might have more to do with Oriental carpets however.
They may also be something of a reaction against the incredibly boring – and rather arbitrary – flags these guys sported during the Soviet era.
Belarus
Interestingly, though, the flag of Belarus was exactly the same – except for the inclusion of the good ol’ hammer and sickle of course.
A decorative pattern, designed in 1917 by Matrena Markevich, is displayed on the hoist of the flag (as it was previously, on the 1951 flag). The pattern, derived from local plants and flowers, is a traditional type commonly used in Belarus. These patterns are sometimes used in woven garments, most importantly in the traditional rushnik – a woven towel used for ceremonial events like religious services, funerals, and other social functions.
The red is a traditional color. In fact, a more traditional flag sports white, red, and white horizontal stripes:
Kazhakstan
That thing over on the left seems to get referred to over and over again as the “national ornamental pattern.” Catchy that. It’s also called a koshkar-muiz, which literally means “the horns of the ram.” I don’t know – I’m not sure I see it.
That’s an eagle, by the way. Under the sun there. I have no idea what they call that.
Curious about that old Soviet number? How about this for boring:
Turkmenistan
Yup, this one really is a carpet. Seriously.
By the way, intricate patterns like this are popular in Muslim culture because of the Koranic prohibition upon images.
The crescent moon is also a common Muslim symbol, occurring in no less than 11 flags. It dates back to the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, when the sultan saw this in the night sky and took it as a good omen.
That was just the one star though. It’s funny how many have multiple, typically arranged in nice, geometrical patterns that you’d never see in the actual night sky.
And here’s Turkmenistan’s equally soporific Soviet-era snoozer:
Honestly, do you think the Kazhaks and Turkmen could even tell these apart?
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