- SNAKEHEAD CROSS
- A term that may be used for that variation of a cross moline where the
curved pieces at the ends are each formed by the head of a snake – a cross gringolée –
but see cross moline
(also cross 2)).
![[Munstergeleen, NL]](../images/v/vx-nl-li_mg.gif)
![[Sittard, NL]](../images/v/vx-nl-li_si.gif)
![[Schinnen, NL]](../images/v/vx-nl-li-sc.gif)
Flag of Munstergeleen, The Netherlands;
Former Flag of Sittard, The Netherlands;
Flag of Schinnen, The Netherlands
- SOLAR DISC (or DISK)
- See disc.
![[Yakutia]](../images/v/vx-ru-14.gif)
Flag of Yakutia, Russian Federation
- SOLAR SIGN (or EMBLEM)
- In largely East European and West Asian usage, a stylized emblem (of varying design) that
symbolizes an ancient or ancestral veneration of the sun – but see note below (also
emblem 1)).
![[Ingushetia]](../images/v/vx-ru-06.gif)
![[Khakass people]](../images/v/vx-ru-19e.gif)
![[solar sign]](../images/v/vx-ru-06-na.gif)
Flag of Ingushetia, Russia; Flag of the
Khakass people;
Flag of Nazranovsky District, Russia
Please note that the solar sign is not a stylized representation of the sun itself, but refers rather to
its veneration or worship – see sun emblem.
- SONS OF SERVICE FLAG
- See service flag 4).
Sons in Service Flags, US; Service Flag, Canada
- SOUTHERN CROSS
- 1) A stylized representation of the constellation Crux Australis, and used
as a symbol on flags in the Southern Hemisphere – as on those of, for example,
Australia, New Zealand and Samoa.
- 2) A colloquial name for the saltire as used by the Confederate States of
America on its battle flag, second naval jack and later national flags (see also
battle flag 1)
stainless banner and
stars and bars).
![[Southern Crosses]](../images/v/vx-ws.gif)
![[Southern Crosses]](../images/v/vx-us-csanj.gif)
![[Southern Crosses]](../images/v/vx-nz~civil.gif)
National Flag of Samoa;
Second Naval Jack 1863–1865, CSA;
Civil Ensign of New Zealand
- SOUTH-EAST DIAGONAL
- A diagonal stripe that runs from the lower hoist to the upper fly whose corners may (or may not)
touch the corners of the flag, but whose width is contained within the length of the flag at the hoist
and its width at the fly (see also
Appendix XI,
ascending diagonal,
descending diagonal,
east-west diagonal,
north-east diagonal,
north-south diagonal,
south-north diagonal,
west-north diagonal,
west-east diagonal,
and west-south diagonal).
Flag of Motuca, Brazil; Flag of
Běštín, Czechia
Please note that this term, whilst an
extension of those existing and established, has been introduced by the editors.
- SOUTH-NORTH DIAGONAL
- A diagonal stripe that runs from the lower hoist to the upper fly whose
corners may or may not touch the corners of the flag but whose width is
entirely contained within the length of the flag – an enhanced bend sinister
– see bend and Appendix IX
ascending diagonal,
descending diagonal,
east-west diagonal,
north-east diagonal,
north-south diagonal,
south-east diagonal,
west-east diagonal,
west-north diagonal,
and west-south diagonal).
National Flag of The Congo;
Flag of Amhara, Ethiopia
- SOUVENIR FLAGS (or PENNANTS)
- 1) Flags sold as a memento of those locales which do have an official design (see also
sub-national flag).
- 2) A generic term for flags or pennants exchanged during sporting matches by the captains
of the contending teams – a flag exchange (see also club pennant,
sports flag 1) and sports flag 2)).
- 3) Burgees presented to a club by visiting yachts, or collected by such visitors for display at
their home port (see also burgee 1) and
club pennant).
- 4) See brag flags.
- 5) See commemorative flag.
- 6) Small flags or pennants sold (or issued) to school children and/or street-lining
spectators for the purpose of waving at visiting dignitaries – usually in honour of a specific
event (see also handwaver).
Souvenir Flag of the Distrito Federal, Mexico; Flag of
Crystal Palace FC, UK; Burgee of the
Aeolian Yacht Club, US
Please note however, it is strongly suggested that the types of
flag given in 2) above are better defined by their type and/or circumstances of presentation, and
that the more precise terms (as listed separately herein) are to be preferred in description.
- SOVEREIGN'S BANNER
- 1) In British Army usage the ceremonial flag (equivalent to a military colour or guidon)
of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (see also
banner 6),
colour 2),
colours 2) and
guidon 2)).
- 2) In Australian military usage the term given to a special ceremonial flag presented to
a military organization by the Sovereign in place of or in addition to colours
(see also banner 6),
colour 2) and
colours 2)).
- SOVEREIGN'S COLOUR (or COLOR)
- See colours 2).
![[Sovereign's colour]](../images/v/vx-es^rg704.gif)
![[Sovereign's colour]](../images/v/vx-es^1841.gif)
King’s Colour Infantry of the Royal Guard 1704, Spain;
Queen’s Colour of the Chasseurs Isabel II c1840, Spain
- SOVEREIGN'S STANDARD
- 1) Specifically in British military usage, that flag carried as a special mark of distinction
by the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals – the Household Cavalry (see also
union standard and
standard 2)).
- 2) Generically see royal standard 1).
![[Sovereign standard]](../images/v/vx-sovstbluro.gif)
Sovereign's Standard of the Blues and Royals, UK (Graham Bartram)
- SPANISH-STYLE (SPANISH-SHAPED or SPANISH) SHIELD
- The alternative terms sometimes used to describe a round-bottomed shield –
a Spanish, Spanish-shaped, Iberian or round-bottomed shield (see also
French shield, Gothic shield
with its following note,
Italian shield,
rectangular shield,
round-bottomed shield 2)
semi-circular shield,
shield 2) and
triarched triangular shield).
.gif)
Flag of Antunovac, Croatia;
National Arms of Spain;
Flag of Drniš, Croatia
- SPANISH-STYLE TRIBAND (or SPANISH TRIBAND)
- The alternative terms sometimes used for a horizontal triband, either plain or defaced, with
vertical proportions of 1-2-1 – a Spanish triband
(see also defaced 1),
internal proportions,
plain 2), triband 1) and
unequal triband).
Flag of French Polynesia;
Civil Flag/Ensign of Spain;
National Flag of Lebanon
- SPECIAL BATTLE EFFICIENCY PENNANT
- 1) See battle efficiency pennant.
Special Battle Efficiency Pennant, USN
- SPECIFICATION (or SPEC)
- 1) The detailed description, either by diagram or in writing, of how the design
of a flag is constructed see specification sheet below
(also dimensions,
proportions and
type flag).
- 2) The act of drawing up such design details.
- SPECIFICATION SHEET (or SPEC SHEET)
- The detailed visual presentation of how the design of a flag is constructed, usually
showing construction lines and figures and often including the source or sources of any
such information – a construction sheet (see also
de jure,
dimensions,
flag law,
proportions,
specification above and
type flag).
Specification sheet for the National Flag of Bahrain
- SPECULATIVE FLAG (SPECULATIVE DESIGN or SPECULATION)
- Alternative terms for the image of a flag, or details of a flag’s design/use, for which no
exact details are known or can be confirmed – a speculative design or speculation – but see
reconstruction.
Speculative Banner of Arms of Għawdex, Malta
- SPECULATIVE VEXILLOLOGY
- The study of flags as defined in speculative flag above.
Speculative image of a Naval Ensign c1620, England
- SPINNING SHUTTLE
- An incorrect term for weaver's shuttle.
Flag of Ozorków, Poland
- SPINNING WHEEL
- A treadle operated device for spinning flax into yarn for hand weaving (see also
weaver's shuttle).
Former flag of Canidelo, Portugal;
Flag of Kåfjord, Norway;
Flag of Sainte-Angèle-de-Prémont, Canada
- SPIRAL DECORATION
- A term for the practice, now increasingly (but not entirely) obsolete, of
decorating a flag pole or the staff of a parade flag or military colour with a spiral
decoration, usually in the national or livery colours and often accompanied by a cravat
(see also colour 2),
colour 3),
cravat 1),
livery colours and
parade flag).
![[example of a spiral decoration]](../images/v/vxt-d1501.gif)
![[example of a spiral decoration]](../images/v/vxt-d1502.gif)
State Flag of San Marino (fotw & CS); National Flag of Brazil on a Military Flagpole (fotw & CS)
- SPLICE
- 1) A naval term for the joint in two pieces of line, halyard or cable, and created by
weaving the strands into each other (see also eye splice).
2) (v) The act of creating a joint as detailed above.
- SPLIT FLAG
- An Anglicization of the Scandinavian terms splitflag or splittflag – see
splitflag.
Flag of the Regent 1941–1944, Iceland
- SPLITFLAG (or SPLITTFLAG)
- 1) A term that may be officially used to describe the shape of the Danish state flag/naval ensign
and of its variants (see also
dannebrog,
double-pointed
and Scandinavian cross).
- 2) A term that may also be used in other Scandinavian countries (particularly Norway with the
alternative spelling given above) in place of
double pointed,
swallow-tail(ed) or
swallow tail and tongue.
The State Flag/Naval Ensign of Denmark;
Flag of Danish railways;
State/War Flag of Norway
- SPORTING BANNER
- See banner 3).
- SPORT SUPPORTER'S FLAG/PENNANT
- See sports flag 2).
![[Northern Ireland Football Supporters, UK]](../images/v/vx-gb-ni@ifa.jpg)
Northern Ireland Football Supporters, UK
- SPORTS (or SPORTING) FLAG (or PENNANT)
- 1) A flag – often the appropriate national or provincial flag – bearing
(or defaced with) the name of a sporting club or related slogan – but see the note below (also
car flag 2),
defaced
and souvenir flag 1)).
- 2) A flag or pennant, usually in the club or school colours, bearing an emblem (and often associated
lettering) that represents a sporting club or school team – a sport supporter's or
supporters flag/pennant or a fan's flag/pennant (see also
car flag 2),
institutional flags/pennants and
souvenir flag).
- 3) The flag of a national or international sporting organization (see also
international flag(s) 2)).
- 4) One of a varied number of flags that are used to regulate or to assist
in running a sporting activity – for example, the chequered flag in motor racing.
![[sports Club]](../images/v/vx-ru@rfs1.gif)
![[Football Federation of Chile ]](../images/v/vx-cl@ffc.gif)
![[Football Association Norway]](../images/v/vx-no@nff1.gif)
Former Flag of Russian Football Union;
Football Federation of Chile;
Football Association of Norway
Please note with regard to 1) that in some countries the practice of defacing a
national or sub-national flag as described above is either discouraged or is illegal, but continues to
be employed by sports fans regardless.
- SPURIOUS FLAG
- See 'fictitious flag'.
-
![[fictitious flag]](../images/v/vx-ma_fr!cb.gif)
Spurious Flag of French Morocco from the film Casablanca
- SPUR ROWEL (or SPUR WHEEL)
- In heraldry see rowel.
![[Spur rowel]](../images/v/vx-hr-bj-se.gif)
![[Spur rowel]](../images/v/vx-hr)bj-se.gif)
Example: Flag and Arms of Severin, Croatia
