THE SUN OF THE MUNICIPAL FLAGS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA Cover Image

СОНЦЕТО НА ОПШТИНСКИТЕ ЗНАМИЊА ВО РЕПУБЛИКА МАКЕДОНИЈА
THE SUN OF THE MUNICIPAL FLAGS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Author(s): Jovan Jonovski
Subject(s): Cultural history, Local History / Microhistory
Published by: Институт за национална историја
Keywords: Vexillology; Municipal flags; Heraldic sun; Sun symbol

Summary/Abstract: In this paper the sun used in territorial vexillology in Macedonia is categorized in 5 types. In the territorial vexillology, the armiger is a territory or a settlement, and this is closely related to the system of administrative division. In 2013 the number of municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia is 80 plus the City of Skopje with special status, which is comprised of 10 so called City Municipalities, that retain their status as the other ones. The majority of municipal flags and Coat of Arms are received through public competition, resulting in flags of one or two colors with applied landscape “Arms” as in the practice of the socialist period. The most common symbol of municipal Coats of Arms and thus on the flags is the sun. There are few flags which do not have the Coat of Arms applied but still have a sun. Solar motifs are found in archaeological findings and traditional ornaments, indicating the continued existence of a venerating the sun which as a symbol appears on the Arms, flag and in the anthem of the Republic of Macedonia. In the municipal Arms and flags in the Republic of Macedonia, there are 5 types of sun used: 1. Sun without rays; 2. Heraldic sun; 3. Sun with divergent rays; 4. Sun with convergent rays and 5. Sun of Vergina type. Of 81 municipalities in Macedonia, 79 have flags, 34 or 43% contain sun emblem, by types: 1. Sun without rays (4 flags); 2. Heraldic sun (1); 3. Sun with divergent rays (11); 4. Sun with convergent rays (8) and 5. Sun of Vergina type (4) On 18 or 53% of the flags, the sun is raising and is part of the landscape, while 15 flags sun is amblem.

  • Issue Year: 60/2016
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 267-276
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Macedonian