# Gold braid around National flags.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-braid-around-national-flags/677010>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 23, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-braid-around-national-flags/677010 "2013-12-23T11:55:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-braid-around-national-flags/677010/21 "2013-12-24T11:30:02Z")

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> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> The flag of Israel, in it’s current form, dates back only to 1948 officially, but the Star Of David symbol is ancient – presumably dating back to the days of King David.

1897, actually. It was designed for the First Zionist Congress, and was accepted as the movement’s official flag a year later.

Despite myths to the contrary, the Shield of David, as a symbol of the Jewish People, dates back to no earlier than the 17th Century. Surprisingly, it’s the blue stripes on the top and bottom that have the true ancient origin - they’re taken from the traditional Jewish prayer shawl, the _tallit_, which dates, in various forms, back to early biblical times.

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