Last modified: 2021-08-26 by valentin poposki
Keywords: karachay | stars: ring | stars: 8 | arrows: 3 | mountain | crescent: points up (yellow) | star: 5 points (red) | star: 5 points (yellow) |
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The Karachay flag comprises 8 red stars in a circle on a
yellow field. The design and colouring suggests it is related
to the Cherkess flag.
Stuart Notholt, 17 Sep 1995
This flag is listed under number 106 at the chart Flags
of Aspirant Peoples [eba94] as:
«Karachay Republic (Karachays) - North Caucasus, Russia».
Ivan Sache, 15 Sep 1999
I saved a copy of this page back in 2003.03.05 and here's my report on it. Comments are welcome!
1. «Historical flag of the Karachay»
(Исторический
флаг
Карачая)
The mountains are be the Elbrus, as in the flags of Karachay-Cherkessia
and Kabard-Balkaria (q.v.), and also shown in the Karachay flag reported
by Jaume on 28 Oct 1996 (source?), and in the "alternative" flag (see
bellow).
The eight "things" are in the same number as the stars in the Aspirant
Chart flag #106 [eba94] and in the "alternative" flag (see bellow).
This design is puzzling as the general layout and the orientation of the
crescent suggests that this image is dexter hoisted (i.e., shown with the
hoist at the viewer’s left hand), but the Arabic inscription reads
correctly -- and that is quite unexpected.
2. «Alternative Karachay flag, comprising eight stars above white Elbrus
on a green background»
("Альтернативный
карачаевский
флаг,
включающий 8
звезд в
полукруге
над белым
Эльбрусом,
на зеленом
полотне.")
3. "Karachay flag" (or rather "flag of the Karachay")
(Карачаевский
флаг)
Green 1:2 flag with centered white emblem, consisting of a white ring
added within with four arch sectors whose tips touch each other and the
inner side of the ring's edge, and with a small white disc in the center.
The page documents this emblem as an old Karachay-Balkar traditional
Cosmogonic symbol. The four-sides stand for Geographic and Elemental
quarterings of the Universe, in typical Caucasian mix of ancestral,
byzantine and modern religious (Muslim, Christian Orthodox or Christian
Armenian) influences.
The green color was chosen for its liveliness -- in Karacay-Balkar
language the words "джашил | dz^as^il"
(="green") and "джашау́ |
dz^as^aъ" (="life") are etymological cognates. (That said, it should be
noted that we have seen plenty of non-green Karachay flags…)
This page further shows the official republic flag of Karachay-Cherkessia,
with no additional comments.