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Dictionary of Vexillology: T (Tribal Flag – Triskelion)

Last modified: 2025-05-24 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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TRIBAL FLAG
The sub-national flag of any group which shares an ethnic origin, but which is not internationally recognized as independent – but see the notes below plus ‘national flag 2)’ and ‘political flag 1)’ (also ‘sub-national flag’).

[tribal flags illustration] [tribal flags illustration] [tribal flags illustration]
Flag of Maori Tribe, New Zealand; Flag of the Arapaho Nation, US; Flag of the Mohawk Nation, US

Notes
a) Tribal flags may also be political flags under certain circumstances,
b) Some tribal flags may be considered as national flags dependent upon the legal status and/or ambitions of the tribal group concerned (see also ‘flag of a separatist movement’).

[tribal flags which serve as political or national flags]
The Aboriginals, a National Flag of Australia under the Law

TRIBAND (or TRI-BAND)
1) A flag of three (usually) parallel stripes or bands but using only two colours. These stripes may be disposed vertically, horizontally or diagonally (but see note b) below), be of equal or unequal width and be either defaced or plain – a three-striped flag or tiercé (see also ‘bar’, ‘deface’, ‘fess’, ‘pale’, ‘plain 2)’, ‘stripe’, ‘striped’, ‘tiercé’, ‘tricolour’, ‘unequal triband’ with its following note and ‘width 2)’).
2) An undefaced flag with three equal parallel stripes or bands using two colours whether disposed vertically or horizontally – a simple triband (see also ‘undefaced’).

[Triband example] [Triband example] [Triband example]
Flag of Carpena, Brazil; Flag of Lika-Senj, Croatia; Flag of Cruzaltense, Brazil

Notes:
a) The Editors have drawn a distinction between flags with three stripes and three colours and those having three stripes but only two colours, with the definitions for tricolour and triband having been carefully drawn up using all available sources.
b) With regard to diagonals, the orientation of its central stripe can be critical to this definition – if the charge in question runs directly into the corners then it should be considered as a plain flag bearing a diagonal stripe (as per the example illustrated below), if however, the central stripe has its entire width along either the top and bottom edges and/or along the hoist and fly then the term "diagonal triband" may be used in description – see ‘north-south diagonal 1)’ and its references.

[diagonal stripe example]
Flag of Araruna, Brazil

TRIBAR (or TRI-BAR)
A term sometimes applied to a flag of three stripes in two colours – but see ‘triband’ and the note below.

Please note however, before using this term it is suggested that the entry on ‘bar’ and/or a suitable glossary or heraldic dictionary be consulted.

TRICOLORE, LA
The national flag, civil ensign and naval ensign of Italy – see ‘tricolour 1)’ and ‘tricolour 2)’ (also ‘ropework border’).

[La Tricolore] [La Tricolore] [La Tricolore]
National Flag, Civil Ensign and Naval Ensign of Italy

TRICOLORE, LE
The national flag and National Ensign of France, see ‘tricolour 1)’ and ‘tricolour 2)’.

[Tricolor example] [Tricolor example]
National Flags of France for Use on Land and at Sea

TRICOLOUR (TRICOLOR, TRI-COLOUR or TRI-COLOR)
1) A flag of three (usually) parallel stripes or bands in three different colours. These stripes may be disposed vertically, horizontally or diagonally, be of equal or unequal width and be either defaced or plain – a three-striped flag or tiercé – but see horizontal bicolour with vertical stripe at hoist (also deface, plain 2), stripe, striped, tiercé, triband, unequal triband and width 2)).
2) An undefaced flag with three equal parallel stripes or bands of different colours whether disposed vertically or horizontally – a simple tricolour – but see note b) below (also undefaced and princeflag).

[Tricolor example] [Tricolor example] [Tricolor example]
Flag of Chaguarpamba, Ecuador; National Flag of St Vincent; Flag of Algar, Spain

Notes:
a) The Editors have drawn a distinction between flags with three stripes and three colours, and those consisting of three stripes but only two colours, with the definitions for tricolour and triband having been carefully drawn up using all available sources, however this distinction is not always observed (see also triband 3)).
b) With regard to 2), several national flags, for example those of France and Italy, are referred to as a "tricolour" in their respective languages and fall into this category, however:
c) A flag of five stripes and three colours, such as that of Thailand (which does not come under this definition) is also so called – but see multi-stripe.
d) With regard to diagonal tricolours, the orientation of its central stripe can be critical to this definition – if the charge in question runs directly into the corners then it can be considered a flag bearing a diagonal stripe (as per the example illustrated below), if however, the central stripe has its entire width along either the top and bottom edges and/or along the hoist and fly then the term "diagonal tricolour" may be used in description – see north-south diagonal 1) and its references.

[diagonal stripe example]
Flag of Roraima, Brazil

TRICOLOUR PENDANT (or PENNANT)
See ‘common pendant’.

Man o'War pendant
The Tricolour/Common Pendant, England then UK 1661–c1850

TRIDENT
A three-pronged fishing spear which came to represent dominance over the sea from the ancient world onward, and was a gladiatorial weapon.

[trident] [trident] [trident]
National Flag of Barbados; Arms/Fin Flash of Ukraine; Flag of Arcozelo, Portugal

TRIMMED
1) When the border of a charge, or of a flag, is embellished in a contrasting or complementary colour – see fringe.
2) In heraldry see garnished.

[Soengas, Portugal] [Air Force, India]
Flag of Soengas, Portugal; President's Colour of Air Force, India

TRINACRIA
See triskelion.

trinacria example
Flag of Eagum, Netherlands

TRINITARIAN CROSS
A term that is used to describe the (layered) cross of the Catholic Order of the Holy Trinity in which a blue horizontal arm is overlaid by a red vertical. (see also layered cross and layered saltire).

Trinitarian Cross
The Order of the Holy Trinity (Wikipedia)

TRINITY EYE
See Eye of God.

[Radzymin, Poland] [Radzymin, Poland]
Flag and Arms of Radzymin Poland

TRIPARTITE (TRIPARTED or TRIPLE-PARTED)
Alternative terms for a charge, particularly (but not exclusively) a cross or saltire, that is divided longitudinally into three parts in three different colours, as in the flag of Dominica – triparted or triple-parted (see also ‘cross 3)’, ‘layered cross’ and ‘layered saltire’).

[Dominica - Tripartite example] [Guatavita Colombia]
National Flag of Dominica; Flag of Guatavita, Colombia

TRIPLE-ARMED (or TRIPLE) CROSS
1) See ‘papal cross’
2) See ‘orthodox cross’.

[example] [example]

TRIPLE-MOUNT (or TRIPLE-MOUNTED)
In heraldry see ‘coupeau’ (also ‘mount’).

[triple mount example] [triple mount example]
Arms and Flag of Canedo, Portugal

TRIPLE-FIMBRIATED
See ‘cotticed 1)’ and following note (also ‘fimbriated’).

[triple fimbriated example] [triple fimbriated example]

TRIPLE-PRINCE
The term for a 17th century Dutch naval flag of usually (but not invariably) nine even, horizontal stripes in the Dutch national colours repeated – but see ‘double-prince’ (also ‘dreikleur’ and ‘princeflag’).

triple prince eleven stripe triple prince
Triple Prince c1660; with Eleven Stripes c1660

Please note however, whilst all available evidence suggests that red, white and blue were employed, orange instead of red may have been used at an earlier stage.

TRIPLE-SWALLOW-TAIL(ED)
A term sometimes mistakenly used in place of swallowtail and tongue or triple-tailed – see ‘swallow-tail and tongue’ and ‘triple-tailed 1)’.
TRIPLE-TAILED (or TRIPLE-TONGUED)
1) Terms that should be used when a flag has three tails or tongues whose width and lengths are of equal dimensions – but see triangular tongued (also length 2), tails, tongues and width 2)).
2) See swallow-tail and tongue 1).

[Triple-tailed example] [Triple-tailed example] [Triple-tailed example]
Naval Ensign of Estonia; Flag of Čechy, Slovakia; State Flag/Naval Ensign of Sweden

TRIPLE-TAILED DESCATE
(adj) A term used to describe a fly that is cut into three tails with rounded ends (see also ‘double-tailed descate’, ‘fly’, ‘gonfanon’, ‘guidon 2)’, ‘standard 4)’, ‘swallowtail’, ‘swallowtail and tongue’, ‘tongue(s)’ and ‘tails’).

[Triple-tailed descate example]

TRIPPANT
The heraldic term used when a beast of the chase (a stag, hart, buck, etc.) is depicted walking on all four hooves, or with one hoof raised, and generally towards the dexter – but see passant with the note below, paissant, rearing and statant.

trippant trippant trippant, Poland
Flag of Lend, Austria; Arms of Łuków County, Poland; Flag of Rzepin, Poland

Please note that this term is often misapplied, and that whilst all animals thus depicted may be blazoned "passant" (as referenced above), "trippant" should be restricted to beasts of the chase.

TRISKELION (TRISKELE)
An originally mystical sign of ancient origin that consists of three symbols emanating from a central point, and of which the three-legged symbols on the flags of the Islands of Man and Sicily (for example) are almost certainly an adaptation – a trinacria or triskele.

[Triskelion example] [Triskelion example] [Triskelion example]
Flag of Sicily; Symbol from Celtic Art (Wikipedia); Flag of the Isle of Man, UK

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