The origin of the Aramean eagle and flag

By: Hanna Hajjar

Today I read a post about the Aramean flag stating that the flame was added in the 1980s to

represent the Holy Spirit.

If you trace the Aramean flag to the stone carving from Tell Halaf representing Gilgamesh

and Enkidu carrying the winged disc, you will notice that it didn't have any flame, and nor did

the early Aramean flag which was first designed in the 1970s. However it was altered in the

1980s by adding the flame. But the flame had nothing to do with the Holy Spirit because in

Syriac culture the Holy Spirit is represented as a dove and not a flame, and you can see the

dove all over Syriac religious art, icons, clergy costumes, altar covers, church stone carvings

etc. So where did the flame come from?

Ironically the flame on the Aramean flag came from the Assyrian symbol of Nadi Sanharib

Al-Riyadi (King Sanharib's Athletic club) in Beirut Lebanon, which was founded in 1936 or

some 50 years earlier. This Assyrian symbol which represented the winged Disc of Ashur had

a flame at its center was very popular among Syriacs in Lebanon, and later in the 1980s, the

Arameans wanted to capitalize on its popularity so they added it to their flag. see photos

below and notice that earlier Aramean flags of the 1970s had a circular disc without any

flames, while the Assyrian winged disc of Sanharib had the flames at least some 50 years

earlier.

Another Aramean misconception is the four five-point stars inside a rectangle at the bottom of

the winged disks tail. However that rectangle is not part of the winged disk, but rather the top of a stool, above which the winged disk is seated and carried. The proof can be seen in the

two front legs of the stool which are carried by the horned creature. Additionally the original

rectangle doesnt have four five-point stars, but rather four Assyrian flowers.

Note: Gilgamesh with two Bull-Men holding up the winged sun-disc

Note: "Fann Ashuri" is written in arabic in this book to describe the winged sun-disc

Note: "Assur" is written to describe the tablets and the winged sun-disc in Andre Parrot's

book 1961

Note: The Guardian wrote an article in 2004 about Gilgamesh and showing the winged sun-

disc where Gilgamesh is holding it up with two Bull-Men calling it "Assyrian"

Note: Another Assyrian winged sun-disc also with two Bull-Men holding it up similar to the

sun-disc from Tell Halaf, in Ankara museum

Note: The Assyrian symbol of Sanharib Al-Riyadi (King Sanharib's Athletic club) in Beirut

Lebanon 1936 with the flame

Note: Different Aramean eagles without the flame, one sun-disc has also been replaced by the

Lebanese cedar tree instead of the burning torch exactly like the logo of the Assyrian

association in Lebanon, see picture further below

Note: Modern Aramean flag with the flame

I also came upon another winged disc of Sanharib, which is the emblem of Nadi Al-Rafidain

Al-Riyadi ([Bet-Nahrin] Mesopotamia Athletic Club) located in Qamishly Syria, whose

members belonged to the Syriac Orthodox Church. Just like Nadi Sanharib Al_Riyadi of

Lebanon, this too was a football (soccer) club. Notice the flame and torch at the center of the

their emblem below.

As you see the flame was used among Syriac Orthodox in both Lebanon and Syria long

before the so called Arameans designed their flag.

Note: The symbol of Nadi Al-Rafidain Al-Riyadi ([Bet-Nahrin] Mesopotamia Athletic Club) in

Qamishly Syria 1934 with the flame and torch

Arameanist hijacked the red and yellow colors from the Assyrian movement

Sure the red and yellow colors are being used by Syrianska football team now, but they had

hijacked them from Assyrians who have been using these colors earlier, see photo of King

Sanharib Festival in 1970 in Beirut Lebanon, and notice the Assyrian star and the symbol of

Ashur at the center of the red and yellow flag. Furthermore those same colors were the colors

of the Assyrian 8th Batallion flag in AlJazeera Syria during the French mandate. The football

team Assyriska FF in Sweden also used the red and yellow colours in the early 70 before even

Syrianska was established.

Note: 1. Assyrian basketball club from Syria on visit to Iran during the Assyrian Tammuz

festival 2004. Note the red and yellow addresses and Ashurs winged sun disk on the stomach,

2. Another version of Ashurs winged sun disk. From Assyrian Youth Association of America.

The red and yellow colors are clearly reflected in the symbol, 3. The Assyrian winged bull,

Lamassu. This painting hung inside the Assyrian eighth battalion headquarters before the

French left over Syria to the Arabs. Note the colors red on the body and yellow on the wings,

4. Al-Nadi As-Syriani Al-Lubnany, Assyrian Association in Beirut. Ashurs winged sun disk

has been replaced by the Lebanese cedar tree instead of the burning torch.

Note: Logo of the Assyrian association in Germany

Note: Ashur in red and yellow in Lebanon

Note: The first logo of Assyriska FF

Note: Assyriska FF when it was established 1974

The Missing Link

An ivory wing from Kalhu Nimrud, inlayed, and decorated with gold.

Establishing the Assyrian origin of the Aramean eagle!

Conclusion: