What is the Symbolism of the Argentina Flag?
The flag of Argentina is composed of three colored bars. The top and bottom are light blue and the middle is white. In the center is a design of the sun known as the Sun of May. The flag was created prior to the country's independence from Spain and formalized as the official flag in 1818. There are a variety of theories about what the flag means, and legends surrounding its creation.
Other People Are Reading
-
Creation
-
General Manuel Belgrano is credited with making the flag in 1812 before the Battle Of Parana. He was a leader of the rebellion against Spanish rule. When he found that his troops were fighting under the same colors as the Spanish forces, he created the new flag for his soldiers to fight under.
History
-
The flag wasn't officially adopted by Argentina's government until 1816, when the country declared independence from Spain. The final version of the flag, with the Sun of May image in the center, was adopted in 1818.
-
Theories
-
There are several theories about the significance of the colors of Argentina's flag. One holds that the blue represents the Rio de la Plata, River of Silver, a well-known river in Argentina that is the widest in the world. The white is thought to represent the metal silver, which European conquerors thought would be in great abundance in Argentina. The Latin word for silver, Argentum, is the root of the country's name. Yet another theory holds that the blue and white of the flag are the colors of the Bourbon royal house in Spain.
Legend
-
The colors and sun on the flag have been interpreted to represent clouds opening to the let the sun shine, while the blue represents the color of a clear sky. This a reference to a legend that the sun broke through the clouds during a demonstration for independence in 1810.
Sun of May
-
The Sun of May design at the center of the flag has a face in the center with 32 rays extending outward. Sixteen of the rays are straight and 16 are wavy, and the two alternate. The sun is meant to represent either the Inca sun god Inti, or to reference the May revolution in 1810 when Argentina's rebellion against Spain began. The Sun of May is also seen on Uruguay's flag.
-
References
- Photo Credit argentina flag button image by Andrey Zyk from Fotolia.com
