Vexillology is the study of flags. The term was created by vexillologist Whitney Smith in 1957, based on the Roman word vexillum, which means a type of flag used by ancient Roman cavalry.
Flags have existed for thousands of years in different forms. Today, every country has a flag and many cities, regions, movements, identities, and organizations are represented by flags.
Despite the historical significance of flags, vexillology as an area of study did not exist until the late 1950s and early 1960s, when people with interest in flags began to formally study them and their history, symbolism, and usage.
While vexillology remains a relatively niche interest, it has grown quite a bit in the last few decades. There is a large community of vexillologists who share an interest in flags. The internet has made it more accessible. Vexillography is a subset of vexillology and is the art of designing flags, as many people design their own flags. Fictional Flags are common in fiction.
Despite the nicheness of vexillology, flags are powerful symbols that easily convey meaning. Flags can invoke feelings of patriotism, pride, hate, and many other emotions, and people will literally die for some flags.
There are many vexillological organizations around the world dedicated to studying flags, the largest of which is the North American Vexillological Association. It and similar organizations are part of the International Federation of Vexillological Associations.
See Flag Tropes for tropes related to flags.
Works that focus on or place emphasis on vexillology:
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