Flag before 1862

This anonymous flag, made of an unbleached textile, raises questions about the nature of national symbols. The flag is usually an emblem of power, of belonging, of shared values; what happens when those values are questioned? When belonging is denied? Consider the flag as a piece of cloth: plain, simple, perhaps even humble. In its original context, this flag may have represented a particular nation or group, but its anonymity allows us to reflect on what national identity really means. Does it unite or divide? Does it include or exclude? How might the social conditions that shape the meaning of a flag influence its production and use? Historians researching such artifacts might consult archives, scrutinize historical documents, and compare the flag to similar objects from the same period. Ultimately, the meaning of this flag resides not in its physical form but in the social and institutional context it represents.