Two republics, North Ossetia and South Ossetia, historically the countries of one people. The separation between them is not a border, but a mountain pass. In practice, this is a single people, they and the symbols of their republics have chosen the same. The flag of Ossetia is a tricolor that combines colors: white, red, yellow.
North Ossetia Alania
The territory of the North Caucasus was inhabited by Alan tribes from the first century of a new era. In the tenth century, it is already a Christian country, which has trade relations with Kievan Rus, Georgia, Byzantium. In the following centuries, the republic was subjected to aggression from neighboring countries and peoples, including the Mongol-Tatars. In 1774, Ossetia joined Russia, and since 1861 it has been part of the Terek region.
The Republic of Ossetia-Alania was defined in 1924 as an autonomous region and became part of the RSFSR. It was called the North Ossetian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Since 1991, it is a republic (with its capital, the city of Vladikavkaz), which has the flag of Ossetia and a coat of arms. New name - Republic of North Ossetia - Alania. The territory it occupies is 8000 square km, and the population is 709,900 people.
Symbols of statehood
Like all countries of the world, it has signs of statehood - the coat of arms and flag of North Ossetia. View of the latter adopted by the modern Republican Parliament in 1994. This is a rectangular panel, which consists of stripes arranged horizontally. Their sequence is as follows: the top color is white, the middle color is red, the bottom is yellow.
The colors that make up the flag of Ossetia have certain meanings. White is a color symbolizing the moral purity of the people. Red is a symbol of military valor, and yellow is a sign of abundance and grace. All these meanings and symbols reflect the ancient culture of the people, which refers to the social structure of Scythian and Alanian society.
Coat of arms and flag of Ossetia
Like the flag, the coat of arms of the republic was adopted by Parliament in 1994. The author of the picture is Murat Dzhigkaev. The coat of arms was taken from a drawing of a historical banner. This drawing, authored by Vakhushti Bagrationi, is marked with a date of 1735 (a red banner depicting a Caucasian leopard or leopard against a backdrop of blue mountains). Some believe that the figure is a snow leopard, but this is a misconception. Irbis has never been found in the Caucasus. An Asian leopard has always lived here , which looks like a snow leopard. It all depends on his color. The emblem and flag of South Ossetia look the same and the meaning of the signs is the same.
Today, the national emblem of Alanya is a round shield on a red field. On the golden earth is a golden leopard with black spots on its back. In the background are seven silver mountains.
As a fraternal and united people, since 1998, the neighboring country has adopted new heraldic signs. And now the flag of South Ossetia identical to the North flag.
The meaning of heraldic symbols
Why is the leopard depicted ? A leopard on a background of mountains is a historical image. It has always been considered the emblem of the Ossetian state. The red field on the shield is strength and courage. The round shape of the shield is traditional for the people and the country. Leopard means strong state power. His golden color is greatness, respect. Mountains - this is the main world mountain and six peaks. So the ancient model of the world was seen, which is represented by the ancestors of the Ossetian people. The coat of arms and flag of Ossetia are important for the peoples of the two republics.
One of the peaks - the highest - means the supreme power of the republic, or the divine absolute of the ancient peoples. The three peaks below are the people, the world of people. The next three peaks, one level below, indicate the borders of the country or the cardinal point. They all sparkle with silver - this color symbolizes wisdom and purity, the joy of being.
The coat of arms and flag of North Ossetia became symbols for the fraternal people of South Ossetia.