# A call to vexillologists: Can anyone ID this flag? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-call-to-vexillologists-can-anyone-id-this-flag/186221 "2003-07-04T11:18:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-call-to-vexillologists-can-anyone-id-this-flag/186221/1 "2003-07-04T11:18:21Z")
Pardon me for posting, but could someone help me identify a mysterious flag, from a second-hand description? The person who saw—carried, actually, in a ceremony—the flag in question drew a quick sketch of it [here](http://www.home.pon.net/phoebeg/mysteryflag.jpg). She said it had a pure red “field,” with a “coat of arms” design near the middle. Inside the Coat of Arms was a white “castle” underneath a purple “crown.” My own searches of proven fruitless, although the Portuguese flag on the Brandenburg Municipal Flag seemed to come close. So, is there a vexillologist in the house? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-call-to-vexillologists-can-anyone-id-this-flag/186221/2 "2003-07-04T11:20:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Portuguese flag **or** the Brandenburg Municipal Flag …that is. Me sleep now. ---
**Author:** ![Tradnor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tradnor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tradnor)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-call-to-vexillologists-can-anyone-id-this-flag/186221/3 "2003-07-04T11:32:30Z")
The [Flag Identificator](http://www.37.co.yu/fi/) turned up some vaguely similar flags, but nothing I’d call a match. It might help to know what kind of ceremony the flag was carried in. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-call-to-vexillologists-can-anyone-id-this-flag/186221/4 "2003-07-05T05:56:28Z")
It was at an [IACLEA](http://www.iaclea.org/) meeting, in a “parade of nations” type ceremony. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-call-to-vexillologists-can-anyone-id-this-flag/186221/5 "2003-07-05T06:34:00Z")
Despite the fact it is listed as “international”, in reviewing the IACLEA website it appears that 90% + of the members are American colleges and universities so I would imagine the chances are pretty good it is a college flag of some kind and not a national or municipal flag. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-call-to-vexillologists-can-anyone-id-this-flag/186221/6 "2003-07-05T13:26:03Z")
Well, I couldn’t find anything at [Flags of the World](http://www.fotw.net/flags/)…