What do all of the civ insignias mean?

[Art Grin]

I didn't mean to say that the crescent and moon are historical Arab symbols. I just wanted to point out that they have become quite common symbols in modern day Arab nations. Actually I never noticed but the star and crescent are only used by countries which have been Ottoman domains. I guess the star and crescent are the better symbols available for Arabia, another option could have been some arabic text or a plain green banner ( which would make Gadaffi definetly a Civ fan ).

I am the only one who thinks that England should have used some other symbol?

 

[Smokeybear]

I am the only one who thinks that England should have used some other symbol?

Nah. "The Crown" has always been a phrase used as an instantly identifiable phrase for the English monarchy, so it seems appropriate. Since they didn't go with a national flag theme, the union jack wouldn't have fit the game.

 

[Khagan1]

...another option could have been some arabic text or a plain green banner ( which would make Gadaffi definetly a Civ fan ).

well considering the circumstances he would gladly continue his career as Civ leader.

I am the only one who thinks that England should have used some other symbol?

Yea, crown refers to the British Empire but three lions can more directly refer to English culture. Of course one can argue that the English culture became civilization when it turned into a British Empire, it is an open discussion. I prefer lion but isn't it lion also symbol of Scotland?

 

[killmeplease]

songhai flag reminds me of this

 

[HammerandSickle]

Regarding Arabia:

a) the sword in the Saudi flag is the sword of King Abdulaziz, the founder of KSA.

b) I think that the crescent and star is far better than the Arab League flag of civ4*.

c) most of the Arab world was ruled by the Ottomans.

*I found it very hilarious when I first saw it.

 

[Louis XXIV]

Yea, crown refers to the British Empire but three lions can more directly refer to English culture. Of course one can argue that the English culture became civilization when it turned into a British Empire, it is an open discussion. I prefer lion but isn't it lion also symbol of Scotland?

I thought they had Unicorns instead. Lion would be most appropriate, imo. The Crown is at least straight forward. They aren't using flags, so the St. George's cross would not be great. Overall, could be worse, could be better. Might have been an issue of style (Lion would have required more detail than others).

 

[Guandao]

Polynesia's symbol seems to be a pounamu, usually made of jade
what about upcoming DLC symbols?
Zulu's is unlikely to change (Zulu shield)
Celts may retain the Celtic Cross but isn't it Christian
Dutch prolly keep that lion
I hope they change the Mayan symbol, isn't it Aztec, a glyph could work
Portuguese prolly keep that emblem
Ethiopia also keep that flag symbol
Carthage has the Tanit symbol, prolly keep it

 

[Keejus]

I think the problem with a lion insignia would mostly be that that is a symbol of probably every other western country.

 

[Pouakai]

Polynesia's symbol seems to be a pounamu, usually made of jade

Ponamu is the Māori word for Jade, typically in Nephrite form. The symbol is one typically carved out of Ponamu, or occasionally bone. It is a Koru, and symbolises rebirth, strength and health primarily.

 

[Liex]

I was trying to figure out what the Hunnic icon is, sometime ago:

The closer thing I could find was this:


It's the Presidential Seal of Turkey; Each star symbolizes a historic Turkish state, the Hunnic Empires among them.

This site (http://www.tccb.gov.tr/sayfa/cumhurbaskanligi/fors/) probably tells the Seal's history, but the English version is not working. My Turkish is a little rusty (as is Google Translator's), but it seems to describe this guy's legend and something about the star and crescent, among a lot of things.



But I don't know, it could be everything else...

 

[The_J]

Looks somehow like a chakra, similar to the Indian or Siamese symbol...but that would not make any sense at all :/.

 

[cuc]

I just took a look at the Civ5 flags article and realized it still calls the Japanese symbol a chrysanthenum (the symbol doesn't even look like one at all ). It has already been pointed out in this thread to be the flower in the centre of Oda's family crest.

More specifically, the Civ5 symbol itself is a five-petaled karahana (唐&#33457, a type of symbol popular in Tang dynasty China which combines the motifs of lotus, palmette and peony. The word "karahana" means "Tang flower". Variations with four or six petals are also popular in Japanese crests.
http://100.yahoo.co.jp/detail/唐花/ (Japanese dictionary entry)

The meaning of the overall Oda crest is less clear. It's commonly assumed to be the flowering quince, though the following article I link to claims that's just folk etymology. A previous post in this thread says it's papaya, but actually that's a misunderstanding: the word 木瓜 can refer to both flowering quince and papaya in Japanese.
http://www.odanobunaga.com/kamon.htm
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ボケ_(植物) (Japanese wikipedia on flowering quince)


It'll be also great if someone one day can expand the discussion to CivRev symbols (which are mostly easy) and scenario symbols in Civ4 and Civ5. There are a lot of scenario civs and a few scenario religions in Civ4 (and as I recall, even a few obsolete Warlords ones replaced in BtS), and I'd really like to know what they represented.

 

[The_J]

Differences to CivRev can be done. Don't seem to be that much. I just have to remember it . If I don't, then please remind me (somebody).

I just took a look at the Civ5 flags article and realized it still calls the Japanese symbol a chrysanthenum (the symbol doesn't even look like one at all ). It has already been pointed out in this thread to be the flower in the centre of Oda's family crest.

For me it can definitely look like a stylized flower .
But your second link makes it clear that you're right, looks exactly like it.
but the entry made so much sense . will have to think about what to write there.

 

[killmeplease]

according to Japanese legends, their monarchy was founded in the year 600 B.C. and is therefore a lot older than any other monarchy.

weren't pharaohs monarchs?

 

[The_J]

...er...still existing monarchies are meant. Yeah, wrote that a bit imprecise (but whatever, will have to change that).
(else you're sure right)

 

[The_J]

Okay, forgot it, as usual.

So, old text:

This flag shows a stylized chrysanthenum, which has different meanings in Japan. As most notable meaning there is the Chrysanthemum Throne, the seat of the Japanese emperor (the "Tenno", not the "Shogun", which is only a military ruler). It is also the oldest "throne" worldwide, because according to Japanese legends, their monarchy was founded in the year 600 B.C. and is therefore a lot older than any other monarchy.

New text:

This flag shows the mon of the Oda Clan. A mon is the japanese version of a coat of arms or family emblem, and usage of such symbols dates back til the 12th century. The meaning of the Oda mon is not very clear. It's claimed that it might represent some sort of flower, a parted cucumber, or a bird's nest with eggs, but these interpretations are doubtful.

Not great, I know.
Looked a bit around in the net, but nothing definite is said anywhere, besides other interpretations that it could be a cherry blossom, which would indeed make some sense.


-----------
So, G&K, from Arioch's site:
: That should not be difficult, since an eagle in the coat of arms is already mentioned for russia, and the basic meaning is probably the same.

: Seems to be a version of this.

: Carthage, Elephant, obvious. Google search for carthage + "elephant symbol" leads to CFC, so there's probably no other meaning.

: Some sort of celtic knot (#1, #2), but it seems that they don't have a special meaning .

: Lion Of Judah, current flag (wikipedia)

: ???

: ???; like previously discussed, it looks more aztec

: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Republic_Lion

: Swedish national emblem, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Crowns

Any disagreement about the interpreations before I try to write anything together ?
And other ideas for Maya and the Huns?

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

: Swedish national emblem, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Crowns

I think this should say that's it's an avatar for one of the users here

 

[Louis XXIV]

The Elephant was a popular symbol of Carthaginian coins (next to the Palm tree, it appears as the second most common motif). It also was the symbol used on coins issued by the Barcids (Hamilcar and Hannibal Barca) in Spain.

But it really doesn't mean anything more than "Elephants are cool."

 

[Pouakai]

Also, the coat of Arms of Austria:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Austria



Look familiar?

 

[Liex]

Another idea for the Huns is that Macedonian Sun, which has nothing to do with them... so I think I stay with the Turkish Presidential Seal for now.