Last modified: 2006-07-27 by pascal gross
Keywords: switzerland | uri | canton | bull |
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Blazon by Mühlemann (1991): In Gelb ein schwarzer Stierkopf mit roter Zunge und rotem
Nasenring.António Martins, 28 June 2000
To illustrate the "liberties taken by the heraldic artists", this illustration comes from Achermann (1990). Here the bull seems to have eaten a bit more and looks somewhat better this way. It contrasts with the more commonly seen rather skinny shape of the bull's head, shown at the top of this page and known on a flag dating from the XVth century.
Pascal Gross, 19 June 2001
The bull's head is called Uristier, meaning aurochs, Bos uris, which was domesticated by the original settlers. The red ring was originally gold. Uri citizens have been teased that the the nose ring represents the fact that the people of Uri had to be tamed. The bull has Celtic origins, representing royalty and a personification of the deity Cernunnos, who bore stag antlers.
Source: Angst (1992), "A Panoply of Colours: The Cantonal Banners of Switzerland and the Swiss National Flag"
Phil Nelson, 14 October 1998
Flaggen, Knatterfahnen and Livery Colours |
Flaggen are vertically hoisted from a crossbar in the manner of gonfanon, in ratio of about 2:9, with a swallowtail that indents about 2 units. The chief, or hoist (square part) usually incorporates the design from the coat of arms - not from the flag. The fly part is always divided lengthwise, usually in a bicolour, triband or tricolour pattern (except Schwyz which is monocolour, and Glarus which has four stripes of unequal width). The colours chosen for the fly end are usually the main colours of the coat of arms, but the choice is not always straight forward.
Knatterfahnen are similar to Flaggen, but hoisted from the long side and have no swallow tail. They normally show the national, cantonal or communal flag in their chiefs.
Željko Heimer, 16 July 2000