Coat of arms of Iran
Encyclopedia
The emblem of Iran
(نشان رسمی ایران) since the 1979 Iranian Revolution
features a stylized Perso-Arabic script
of the arabic word Allah ("God
").
The logo consists of four crescent
s and a sword
. The four crescents are meant to stand for the word Allah. The five parts of the emblem symbolize the Principles of the Religion. Above the sword is a shadda
: in Arabic script, this is used to double a letter. The shape of the emblem is chosen to resemble a tulip
, for the memory of the people who died for Iran
: it is an ancient belief in Iran, dating back to mythology
, that if a young soldier dies patriotically a red tulip will grow on his grave
. In recent years it has been considered the symbol of martyrdom.
The logo was designed by Hamid Nadimi
, and was officially approved by Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini
founder of Islamic Republic of Iran on May 9, 1980.
The logo is encoded in Unicode
, in the Miscellaneous Symbols
range, at codepoint U+262B under the name "FARSI SYMBOL".http://unicode.org/notes/tn27/ It is unclear why it was included in Unicode 1.0 since technically it is a logo, not a character. It is not used in Persian
text and is not referred to as "Persian symbol" outside of the Unicode standard.
In the excavations at Persepolis
, archaeologists have found a standard, depicting a falcon (shahin) with open wings, regarding which the current belief is that this was the official flag of Iran under the reign of Cyrus the Great
and his heirs.
Faravahar
is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism
, a state religion of the ancient Persian Empires despite the fact it had existed well before the creation of that religion. While Shia islam has now replaced Zoroastrianism as Iran's state religion, the Faravahar still represents a national Iranian symbol that reflects both ancient and modern Iran. http://aryansland.blogfa.com/8709.aspxhttp://padena.wordpress.com/2006/12/24/%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%87%D8%B1/. This religious-cultural symbol was adopted by the Pahlavi dynasty
to represent the Iranian nation.
The winged disc has a long history in the art and culture of the ancient Near
and Middle East
. Historically, the symbol is influenced by the "winged sun
" hieroglyph
appearing on Bronze Age
royal seals (Luwian
SOL SUUS, symbolizing royal power in particular). In Neo-Assyrian times, a human bust is added to the disk, the "feather-robed archer" interpreted as symbolizing Ashur
.
It was only during the reign of Darius I
and thereafter, that the symbol was combined with a human form above the wings, perhaps representing Darius himself.
in 1906, Parliament designed a new flag and a new coat of arms.
Lion and Sun motif is one of the better known emblems of Iran
, and between 1576 and 1979 was an element in Iran's national flag
too .
The motif, which combines "ancient Iranian, Arab, Turkish, and Mongol traditions", became a popular symbol in Iran in the 12th century. The lion and sun symbol is based largely on astronomical and astrological configurations; the ancient zodiacal sign of the sun in the house of Leo
, which itself is traced backed to Babylon
ian astrology
and Near Eastern traditions.
The motif has many historical meanings. First, it was an astrological and zodiacal symbol. Under Safvis and first Qajar kings, it received a specifically Shi'ite interpretation. In Safavid era the lion and sun stood for two pillars of the society, state and religion. It became a national emblem during the Qajar era. In the 19th century, European visitors at the Qajar court attributed the lion and sun to remote antiquity and since then it got a nationalistic interpretation.
During the reign of Fat'h Ali Shah and his successors the motif was substantially changed. These changes were on the form of the lion, the sun. A crown was also placed on the top the symbol to represent the monarchy.
Since the reign of Fat'h Ali Shah Qajar
, the Islamic component of the ruler de-emphasized. This shifting affects the symbolism of the emblem. Since this time until the 1979 revolution
the meaning of the symbol elements changed many times. The lion could be the metaphor for Ali
, heroes of Iran who are ready to protect the country against enemies, and finally its ancient meaning, as the symbol of kingship. The Sun received various meanings including the king, Jamshid
, the mythical king of Iran, and motherhomeland.
The many historical meanings of the emblem have provided the rich ground for competing symbols of Iranian identity. In 20th century, some politicians and scholars suggested that the emblem be replaced by other symbols such as Derafsh-e-kaviani. However, the emblem remained the official symbol of Iran until the 1979 revolution
, when the "Lion and Sun" symbol was removed from public spaces and government organizations and replaced by the present-day Coat of arms of Iran.
), Reza Shah
founded the Order of Pahlavi with the official emblem of the dynasty (Mount Damavand
with a rising sun) in a medallion of the Order's badge and star. In late 1940's the Imperial coat of arms was created with Iran's national and Pahlavi's dynastical symbols: Lion and Sun, Faravahar
, Zolfaghar, Simurgh
and Pahlavi's arms in the center. At the top of the coat of arms was the Pahlavi crown, created for the Coronation of Reza Shah
in 1926, and the collar of the Order of Pahlavi was under the shield. The lions with scimitars were the supporters. The Imperial motto "Mara dad farmud va Khod Davar Ast" ("Justice He bids me do, as He will judge me" or, alternatively, "He gave me power to command, and He is the judge"). In 1971 some details of this Imperial achievement were changed in their colours.
Azure and Or are the colours of the Imperial Family.
Since 1971 the flag of Shahanshah consists of a pale-blue field with the flag of Iran
in the upper left corner and the Pahlavi coat of arms in the centre.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
(نشان رسمی ایران) since the 1979 Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
features a stylized Perso-Arabic script
Perso-Arabic script
The Persian or Perso-Arabic alphabet is a writing system based on the Arabic script. Originally used exclusively for the Arabic language, the Arabic alphabet was adapted to the Persian language, adding four letters: , , , and . Many languages which use the Perso-Arabic script add other letters...
of the arabic word Allah ("God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
").
The logo consists of four crescent
Crescent
In art and symbolism, a crescent is generally the shape produced when a circular disk has a segment of another circle removed from its edge, so that what remains is a shape enclosed by two circular arcs of different diameters which intersect at two points .In astronomy, a crescent...
s and a sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
. The four crescents are meant to stand for the word Allah. The five parts of the emblem symbolize the Principles of the Religion. Above the sword is a shadda
Shadda
Shadda , is one of the diacritics used with the Arabic alphabet, marking a long consonant . It is functionally equivalent to writing a consonant twice in the orthographies of languages like Latin, Italian, Swedish, and Ancient Greek, and is thus rendered in Latin script in most schemes of Arabic...
: in Arabic script, this is used to double a letter. The shape of the emblem is chosen to resemble a tulip
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
, for the memory of the people who died for Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
: it is an ancient belief in Iran, dating back to mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, that if a young soldier dies patriotically a red tulip will grow on his grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
. In recent years it has been considered the symbol of martyrdom.
The logo was designed by Hamid Nadimi
Hamid Nadimi
Hamid Nadimi is the designer of the coat of arms of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His design was approved by Ayatollah Khomeini on May 9, 1980 and officially adopted by the Government on July 29, 1980.-References:...
, and was officially approved by Ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
founder of Islamic Republic of Iran on May 9, 1980.
The logo is encoded in Unicode
Unicode
Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems...
, in the Miscellaneous Symbols
Miscellaneous Symbols
The Miscellaneous Symbols Unicode block contains various glyphs representing things from a variety of categories: Astrological, Astronomical, Chess, Dice, Ideological symbols, Musical notation, Political symbols, Recycling, Religious symbols, Trigrams, Warning signs and Weather.-Tables:Note: These...
range, at codepoint U+262B under the name "FARSI SYMBOL".http://unicode.org/notes/tn27/ It is unclear why it was included in Unicode 1.0 since technically it is a logo, not a character. It is not used in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
text and is not referred to as "Persian symbol" outside of the Unicode standard.
Achaemenid Empire
During the Achaemenid, especially at the time of Cyrus the Great, the Persian Imperial Flag was made of up of a kinglike image, rectangular in shape, split into four equivalent triangles. Each two of these four train triangles had the same colour.In the excavations at Persepolis
Persepolis
Perspolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire . Persepolis is situated northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran. In contemporary Persian, the site is known as Takht-e Jamshid...
, archaeologists have found a standard, depicting a falcon (shahin) with open wings, regarding which the current belief is that this was the official flag of Iran under the reign of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II of Persia , commonly known as Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus the Elder, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much...
and his heirs.
Farvahar
Faravahar
Faravahar is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism, the state religion of ancient Iran. This religious-cultural symbol was adapted by the Pahlavi dynasty to represent the Iranian nation....
is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
, a state religion of the ancient Persian Empires despite the fact it had existed well before the creation of that religion. While Shia islam has now replaced Zoroastrianism as Iran's state religion, the Faravahar still represents a national Iranian symbol that reflects both ancient and modern Iran. http://aryansland.blogfa.com/8709.aspxhttp://padena.wordpress.com/2006/12/24/%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%87%D8%B1/. This religious-cultural symbol was adopted by the Pahlavi dynasty
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
to represent the Iranian nation.
The winged disc has a long history in the art and culture of the ancient Near
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
and Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Historically, the symbol is influenced by the "winged sun
Winged sun
The winged sun is a symbol associated with divinity, royalty and power in the Ancient Near East . The symbol has also been found in the records of ancient cultures residing in various regions of South America as well as Australia.- Ancient Egyptian use :In Ancient Egypt, the symbol is attested...
" hieroglyph
Anatolian hieroglyphs
Anatolian hieroglyphs are an indigenous logographic script native to central Anatolia, consisting of some 500 signs. They were once commonly known as Hittite hieroglyphs, but the language they encode proved to be Luwian, not Hittite, and the term Luwian hieroglyphs is used in English publications...
appearing on Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
royal seals (Luwian
Hieroglyphic Luwian
Hieroglyphic Luwian is a variant of the Luwian language, recorded in official and royal seals and a small number of monumental inscriptions. It is written in a hieroglyphic script known as Anatolian hieroglyphs...
SOL SUUS, symbolizing royal power in particular). In Neo-Assyrian times, a human bust is added to the disk, the "feather-robed archer" interpreted as symbolizing Ashur
Ashur (god)
Ashur is the head of the Assyrian pantheon....
.
It was only during the reign of Darius I
Darius I of Persia
Darius I , also known as Darius the Great, was the third king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire...
and thereafter, that the symbol was combined with a human form above the wings, perhaps representing Darius himself.
Qajar Dynasty
After Iranian Constitutional RevolutionIranian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution or Iranian Constitutional Revolution took place between 1905 and 1907...
in 1906, Parliament designed a new flag and a new coat of arms.
Lion and Sun motif is one of the better known emblems of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and between 1576 and 1979 was an element in Iran's national flag
Flag of Iran
The current flag of Iran was adopted on 29 July 1980, and is a reflection of the changes brought about by the Iranian Revolution. Its field is a tricolour comprising equal horizontal bands of green, white, and red...
too .
The motif, which combines "ancient Iranian, Arab, Turkish, and Mongol traditions", became a popular symbol in Iran in the 12th century. The lion and sun symbol is based largely on astronomical and astrological configurations; the ancient zodiacal sign of the sun in the house of Leo
Leo (astrology)
Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Leo. In astrology, Leo is considered to be a "masculine", positive sign. It is also considered a fire sign and is one of four fixed signs ruled by the Sun.Individuals born when the Sun is in this sign are...
, which itself is traced backed to Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
ian astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
and Near Eastern traditions.
The motif has many historical meanings. First, it was an astrological and zodiacal symbol. Under Safvis and first Qajar kings, it received a specifically Shi'ite interpretation. In Safavid era the lion and sun stood for two pillars of the society, state and religion. It became a national emblem during the Qajar era. In the 19th century, European visitors at the Qajar court attributed the lion and sun to remote antiquity and since then it got a nationalistic interpretation.
During the reign of Fat'h Ali Shah and his successors the motif was substantially changed. These changes were on the form of the lion, the sun. A crown was also placed on the top the symbol to represent the monarchy.
Since the reign of Fat'h Ali Shah Qajar
Fat'h Ali Shah Qajar
Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar 5 September 1772 – 23 October 1834) was the second Qajar king of Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death.-Early life:...
, the Islamic component of the ruler de-emphasized. This shifting affects the symbolism of the emblem. Since this time until the 1979 revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
the meaning of the symbol elements changed many times. The lion could be the metaphor for Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
, heroes of Iran who are ready to protect the country against enemies, and finally its ancient meaning, as the symbol of kingship. The Sun received various meanings including the king, Jamshid
Jamshid
Jamshid is a mythological figure of Greater Iranian culture and tradition.In tradition and folklore, Jamshid is described as having been the fourth and greatest king of the epigraphically unattested Pishdadian dynasty . This role is already alluded to in Zoroastrian scripture Jamshid (Middle-...
, the mythical king of Iran, and motherhomeland.
The many historical meanings of the emblem have provided the rich ground for competing symbols of Iranian identity. In 20th century, some politicians and scholars suggested that the emblem be replaced by other symbols such as Derafsh-e-kaviani. However, the emblem remained the official symbol of Iran until the 1979 revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
, when the "Lion and Sun" symbol was removed from public spaces and government organizations and replaced by the present-day Coat of arms of Iran.
Imperial State of Iran
In 1932, seven years after the foundation of Imperial State of Iran (also known Pahlavi DynastyPahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
), Reza Shah
Reza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
founded the Order of Pahlavi with the official emblem of the dynasty (Mount Damavand
Mount Damavand
Mount Damāvand also known as Donbavand, a potentially active volcano and the highest peak in Iran, has a special place in Persian mythology and folklore...
with a rising sun) in a medallion of the Order's badge and star. In late 1940's the Imperial coat of arms was created with Iran's national and Pahlavi's dynastical symbols: Lion and Sun, Faravahar
Faravahar
Faravahar is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism, the state religion of ancient Iran. This religious-cultural symbol was adapted by the Pahlavi dynasty to represent the Iranian nation....
, Zolfaghar, Simurgh
Simurgh
Simurgh , also spelled simorgh, simurg, simoorg or simourv, also known as Angha , is the modern Persian name for a benevolent, mythical flying creature...
and Pahlavi's arms in the center. At the top of the coat of arms was the Pahlavi crown, created for the Coronation of Reza Shah
Reza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
in 1926, and the collar of the Order of Pahlavi was under the shield. The lions with scimitars were the supporters. The Imperial motto "Mara dad farmud va Khod Davar Ast" ("Justice He bids me do, as He will judge me" or, alternatively, "He gave me power to command, and He is the judge"). In 1971 some details of this Imperial achievement were changed in their colours.
Azure and Or are the colours of the Imperial Family.
Since 1971 the flag of Shahanshah consists of a pale-blue field with the flag of Iran
Flag of Iran
The current flag of Iran was adopted on 29 July 1980, and is a reflection of the changes brought about by the Iranian Revolution. Its field is a tricolour comprising equal horizontal bands of green, white, and red...
in the upper left corner and the Pahlavi coat of arms in the centre.
See also
- Flag of IranFlag of IranThe current flag of Iran was adopted on 29 July 1980, and is a reflection of the changes brought about by the Iranian Revolution. Its field is a tricolour comprising equal horizontal bands of green, white, and red...
- The Lion and SunThe Lion and SunThe Lion and Sun is one of the emblems of Iran, and between 1846 and 1979 was an element in Iran's national flag. The motif, which illustrates ancient and modern Iranian traditions, became a popular symbol in Iran in the 12th century The lion and sun symbol is based largely on astronomical and...
- FaravaharFaravaharFaravahar is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism, the state religion of ancient Iran. This religious-cultural symbol was adapted by the Pahlavi dynasty to represent the Iranian nation....
- Imperial Standards of IranImperial Standards of IranThe Imperial Standards of Iran were the personal official flags of the Shāhanshāh, Šahbānū and Crown Prince of Iran, adopted at the beginning of 1971....