The triskelion (flag of the Isle of Man)
lyra
I have a theory that Kit Marlowe
lived on the Isle for a while...
I've found out something
about the unusual symbol of
the island...
(quote, excerpts)
Isle of Man
Man, Mannin, Ellan Vannin
Description
The national flag of Man is a plain red field with
the "trinacria" emblem in the centre.
This is a banner of the arms which date back to the 13th century
and are believed to be connected with Sicily,
where a similar device was used in the Norman period.
Roy Stilling, 7 December 1996.
The present rotation of the legs was restored
by a royal proclamation in 1968.
Pascal Vagnat, 25 September 1998.
...........................................................
Origin of the triskelion
According to the World Encyclopedia of Flags,
by A. Znamierovski, 1999
'The triskelion (from the Greek "three-legged")
is one of the oldest symbols known to mankind.
The earliest representations of it were found
in
prehistoric rock carvings in northern Italy.
It also appears on Greek vases and coins from
the 6th and 8th centuries BC., and was revered
by Norse and Sicilian peoples.
The Sicilian version has a representation
of the head of Medusa in the center.
The Manx people believe that the triskelion
came from Scandinavia.
According to Norse mythology, the triskelion
was a symbol
of the movement of the sun through the heavens.'
Jarig Bakker, 27 April 2000
In "Emblemes et symboles des Bretons et des Celtes"
(Coop Breizh, 1998), Divy Kervella explores in depth
the possible meaning of the triskell.
It is the symbol of triplicity in unity, one of the basis of the
Celtic religion, and probably originally a solar symbol.
Triplicity in the Celtic civilisation is exemplified by:
- the staff of the Celtic pantheon: Lugh, Daghda (Taran), and Ogme ;
- the unique goddess who has three aspects: daughter, wife, and mother
;
- the division of the society in three classes: priestly class, ruling
and martial class, and productive class (craftsmen, farmers, fishers
...)
- the philosophical conceptions of the world based on number 3: the
three circles of existence, the bardic triads...
The triskell is also often said to represent the three dynamics
elements: water, air, and fire, or the wave of sea, the breath of
wind, and the flame of fire. One of these elements is sometimes
replaced by the furrow of the earth.
A more complex interpretation says that the centre of the triskell
is the static earth, which receives life from the three dynamic
elements.
The spiral could symbolize life, dynamics and enthusiasm, as
opposed to everything straight and spellbound.
The representation of the triskell must be dextrogyrous
(turning to the right).
A senstrogyrous (turning to the left) triskell
would have a maleficent, or at least hostile meaning.
Traditional Breton dances and processions always turn to the right.
The war dances of the ancient Celts started by turning to the left
to show hostility, and ended by turning to the right, as a sign of
victory.
The triskell is close to the hevoud, another Celtic symbol
and the Basque lauburu, and is probably of pre-Celtic origin
(for instance on the cairn of Bru na Boinne in Ireland).
Ivan Sache, 27 April 2000
Local people have an explanation as to why the legs turn
anti-clockwise; this is in order that we do not kneel to the British!
Christine Cain, 4 April 2002
In the 19th century, it became fashionable for the Manx
to associate themselves with everything Norse,
and it is possible that the supposed Norse origin
of the Manx flag came about at this time... although
the triskele and swastika(!) were known amongst Norse people,
they weren't particularly common...
the three-armed symbol however occurs in "stripped-down" form
very early on in so called Celtic art, and it's likely that the armour
on the legs is a medieval addition.
Usually the early forms appeared as a three-armed "swirl"
on pottery and the like, and the arms were rounded.
This is far more likely than any of the fanciful "Viking" origins.
The actual direction of the legs on the flag tends to be arbitrary,
although I believe it has been established by law in recent years...
one can still see logos, souvenirs etc right next to each other
with the legs going in opposite directions.
If I remember rightly, there is a wood cut of an early meeting
of the Manx parliament, with the triskele clearly depicted on the
wall - turning CLOCKWISE!
Ray Bell, 15 November 2002
The Three Magic Legs and the Legend of Mannanin are at
www.feegan.com/fltales/fltales1.htm
Christine Cain, 4 April 2002
Interesting information (not straight flag related)
about The Three Legs of Mann
at www.isle-of-man.com/interests/three-legs/index.shtml
Gvido Petersons, 20 May 2003
Flag of Tynwald
by Vincent Morley
The flag of the Manx parliament (Tynwald) is on display
in the chamber of Tynwald and is illustrated on their website.
I believe it is a version of the mediaeval arms of the lords of Man.
Kenneth Campbell Fraser, 23 November 1998
This flag is a banner of the former arms of the Kings of Man,
and is known as the MacDonald flag. It was first flown in 1971.
Pascal Vagnat, 25 September 1998.
Arms
The motto of the Isle of Man, which often accompanies the arms,
is the Latin
Quocunque jeceris stabit, which means "wherever you throw, it will
stand", referring to the triskelion
Clive Barbour, 28 September 1995
There is an interesting variant of the Manx arms.
Between approximately 1735 and 1765 the island was ruled
by the Duke of Atholl.
During that time two series of coins were issued
in the name
of the duke with counter-clockwise legs.
Before and after that time, when coins were issued
in the name of British monarchs, the direction was clockwise.
Does anybody know if there was an official decree
for this change of direction in the Manx coat of arms/flag?
Harald Müller, 9 December 1996
http://flagspot.net/flags/im.html#tri
This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website
lyra
> ...The triskelion (flag of the Isle of Man)...
>
> I have a theory that Kit Marlowe
> lived on the Isle for a while...
>
> I've found out something
> about the unusual symbol of
> the island...
>
some more about the triskelion...
(quote)
Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms of the Isle of Man (more correctly referred to
as the Arms of Her Majesty in right of the Isle of Man) were granted
by Her Majesty by Royal Warrant dated 12th July 1996.
The Arms are an augmented version of the traditional arms
which comprise the Three Legs conjoined on a red shield
surmounted by a Crown and with the motto
Quocunque Jeceris Stabit underneath.
In heraldic terms the Arms are described:
"for the Arms: Gules a Triskele Argent garnished and spurred Or
And for the Crest ensigning the Shield of Arms
An Imperial Crown proper and for the Supporters
Dexter a Peregrine Falcon and sinister a Raven
both proper together with this Motto Quocunque Jeceris Stabit."
In 1405, King Henry IV gave the Isle of Man with all its rights to
Sir John Stanley
on condition that he paid homage and gave two Peregrine falcons
to him and to every future King of England on his Coronation Day.
Sir John's descendants ruled as Kings or Lords of Mann
for 360 years until George III assumed the Lordship,
while the presentation of two falcons continued
up to the Coronation of George IV in 1822.
The Raven is a bird of legend and superstition
and there are a number of places on the Island
which include Raven in their names.
The Island has a strong Viking element in its history and
Odin, the Norse God, was, according to mythology,
accompanied by two Ravens.
During the Millennium Year of 1979, a replica of a Viking longship
was sailed from Norway to the Isle of Man by a mixed
Norwegian and Manx crew.
The longship, which is now preserved on the Island, is called "Odin's
Raven".
The Peregrine Falcon
The Supporters assigned to the Arms were chosen because of
their historic significance.
In 1405, King Henry IV gave the Isle of Man with all its rights
to Sir John Stanley on condition that he paid homage
and gave two falcons to him and to every future King of England on his
Coronation Day.
Sir John's descendants ruled as Kings or Lords of Mann for 360 years
until George III assumed the Lordship, while the presentation of two
falcons continued up to the Coronation of George IV in 1822.
The Raven
The Supporters assigned to the Arms were chosen because of
their historic significance. The Raven is a bird of legend
and superstition and there are a number of places on the Island
which include Raven in their names.
The Island has a strong Viking element in its history and
Odin, the Norse God, was, according to mythology,
accompanied by two Ravens.
During the Millennium Year of 1979, a replica of a Viking longship
was sailed from Norway to the Isle of Man by a mixed
Norwegian and Manx crew. The longship, which is now preserved
on the Island, is called "Odin's Raven".
Motto
The motto "Quocunque Jeceris Stabit",
which translates literally as
"whithersoever you throw it, it will stand",
continues to feature on the Coat of Arms.
This motto has been associated with the Isle of Man since about 1300.
It was, reportedly, in use before this date by the MacLeods of Lewis
as ancient Lords of the Isles of Scotland which, after 1266,
included the Isle of Man.
Flag
The Three Legs of Man:
The three legs symbol seems to have been adopted
in the Thirteenth Century as the armorial bearings
of the native kings of the Isle of Man,
whose dominion also included the Hebrides - the Western Isles of
Scotland.