Assyrian Flag
In aftermath of the inception of the Assyrian Universal Alliance
in 1968, a serious effort was undertaken by this organization to
address the need for the Assyrian nation to have its own official
national flag. To realize this dream it was decided to appeal to
various Assyrian artists and knowledgeable people, for the purpose
of soliciting ideas and layouts on this important national task.
Layouts and suggestions were to be collected from across the world
in order to be presented to the AUA Congress for approval.
This worldwide effort netted a large number of designs which
were duly received and noted. Following meticulous consideration,
a decision was reached in favor of one particular design which
best captured the Assyrian essence from the past and the present.
In the year 1974, this design was approved by the 6th congress of
the AUA which convened in the United States in the city of
Yonkers, New York. This flag was designed by a well-known Assyrian
artist, Mr. George Bit Atanus of Tehran, Iran. The main reason for
the approval of this flag was that the artist had not merely
presented his own views. Rather, he had brilliantly blended
ancient Asian designs representing the former glory of the
Assyrian empire, to create an attractive fusion between the past
and the present. In this way the artist had succeeded to bridge
the gap between a glorious Assyrian past and the present day
struggles and ambitions of the Assyrian nation.
The Assyrian flag is designed with a white background on which three
waving stripes emerge from each corner of a center design which is
in the shape of a four headed star. At its center, the star
encompasses a golden circle representing Shamash the Assyrian
sun-god who was believed to give life to all things on earth. The
four wedges of the star are a bright blue color and represent
happiness and tranquility.
The waving stripes protrude from the four joints of the star
and stretch to the four concerns of the flag. The Stripes are
narrow at the base and become wider as they distance themselves
from the center. They symbolize the three major rivers flowing
through the land of Assyria. At the top we see the mighty
Euphrates, represented in blue denoting abundance. In the center
the great Zab is in white portraying peace, and in the bottom we
see the mighty Tigris in a red color representing the Assyrian
national pride. These three stripes are also picturing the rays of
the center star and stand to symbolize the dispersion of the
Assyrian people to the four corners of the world. The manner in
which these stripes emerge from the star also symbolically
portrays the eventual return of the Assyrians to their ancestral
homeland which is represented by the center of the star.
Hovering over the star and the emblem of Shamash, there is a
representation of the image of God Ashur the ancient Assyrian
supreme deity. The emblem of Ashur features the deity standing in
a circle with two eagle wings spanning and over stretching its
length on two sides. Ashur has drawn a bow and his arrow is ready
to fly. This emblem is in the same shape and color scheme of the
original ceramic work preserved in the British Museum.
Finally, atop the flag there stands the royal insignia of the
famous Assyrian king Sargon II, signifying the might and great
civilization achieved by the Assyrians.
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