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Dictionary of Vexillology: P (Peace Flag - Phoinikis)

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PEACE FLAG
PEAK
PEAK, AT THE
PENCEL (or PENCIL)
PENDANT
PENDANT (or PENNANT) NUMBER
PENDANT (or PENNANT) OF DISTINCTION
PENDO
PENNANT
PENNANT OF COMMAND
PENNON (or PENNONE)
PENNONE
PENNONCEL (PENNONCELLE, PENICELLUS or PENNUNCELLUS)
PENNONCIER
PENSIL
PER BEND
PER BEND SINISTER
PER CHEVRON
PER COMPLEMENT
PER FESS
PER PALE
PER SALTIRE
PERSONAL FLAG
PETRA SANCTA METHOD
PHOINIKIS

PEACE FLAG

Any one of a number of flags designed to symbolize peaceas, for example, those illustrated below (see also ‘rainbow flag’).

From left: Variant of the Rainbow Flag; Variant of the Dove of Peace Flag; Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (fotw)

PEAK

1) The highest point of the gaff to which the ensign of a warship is shifted (moved), when it is said to be flying at the peak or at the peak of the gaff – see ‘shift colours’ (also 'ensign' and 'gaff').

2) A colloquial synonym (although technically incorrect) for the top of a normal flagpole (see ‘truck 1)’ and ‘finial’).

Please note with regard to 1), that the practice of shifting the ensign became necessary in the sailing era due to the introduction of a lower spar to the mizzen gaff sail, whilst in modern warships the ensign is shifted from an ensign staff to the peak of the gaff for reasons of tradition or operational requirement (see also ‘ensign staff’).

Also please note with regard to 1), that (whilst underway) sailing ships - whether civilian or naval - still have the option of flying their ensigns from the peak of the gaff if fitted, or from two-thirds the way up the leech of the mainsail if Bermuda rigged (see also ‘leech’).

Ensign At The Peak; Ensign Flown From The Leech

PEAK, AT THE

See ‘peak 1)’ and its following notes (also ‘gaff’).

PENCEL (or PENCIL)

1) A term, now obsolete, for a narrow ribbon attached below the head of a lance or spear (see see also ‘banderole 2)’, ‘banderole 3)’ and ‘lance pennon 1)’).

2) See ‘pennoncel’.

PENDANT

A largely obsolete spelling of pennant.

Please note, however, that this dictionary uses the older term first when referring to an obsolete British Royal Navy design or pattern of this type - as in, for example, the budgee pendant.

PENDANT (or PENNANT) NUMBER

The term was originally used for the group of signal flags/pennants unique to an individual naval vessel, and raised to indicate that any subsequent signal hoist was intended for that vessel and for no others, it is now – as a pennant, registration or hull number - a combination of letters and numbers that identify a particular vessel within the naval structure (see also ‘call sign hoist’, ‘make her number’, ‘private signal 3)’ and ‘signal flag’). .

PENDANT (or PENNANT) OF DISTINCTION

The original 17th/18th Century English/British naval term, now obsolete, for a commodore’s broad pennant (see also ‘broad pennant’, ‘budgee pendant’ and ‘pendant’).

PENDO

A medieval term, now obsolete, for a pennant or small flag.

PENNANT

1) A general (and imprecise) term for flags which are not strictly rectangular.

2) A flag which will usually (but not exclusively) narrow in width between the hoist and the fly, and which may be triangular, square-ended or swallow-tailed (see also ‘swallow-tail(ed)’ and ‘trapezoid’). ^{See supplemental note}:

Please note with regard to 2) that the following modern flags can fall into this category: broad pennant, burgee, pincel, club pennant, command pennant, guidon, lance flag, masthead pennant and others, as do obsolete forms such as cornet, pavon, pennon and pensel, and it is strongly suggested that the more precise terms (as defined separately herein) are to be preferred in description.

It is further suggested that one common denominator, which distinguishes a pennant from a flag, is that the former is usually secondary to the latter, and differs from it in shape, size and/or in the manner of display.

PENNANT OF COMMAND

See ‘masthead pennant 1)’.

Please note that this term is a translation of the German kommadowimpel, and should not be confused with a command pennant as separately defined herein.

PENNON (or PENNONE)

1) See ‘fanion 2)’.

2) See ‘lance pennon 1)’.

3) 3) In official Scottish usage, a 120cm long pennant that is either triangular in form or has a rounded point, and which may be granted by Lord Lyon King of Arms to any armigerous person who applies – but see ‘guidon 3)’ (also ‘armigerous’ and ‘pinsel’).

4) At sea, an increasingly obsolete term for a small pennant.

PENNONE

An obsolete spelling of pennon – see ‘lance pennon 1)’.

PENNONCEL (PENNONCELLE, PENICELLUS or PENNUNCELLUS)

The term, now obsolete, for a small flag or pennon of varying shapes and sizes, but often carrying a badge against livery colours – a pencel or badge pennon (see also 'badge in heraldry', 'livery colours', and ‘lance pennon 1)’).

PENNONCIER

The medieval term, now obsolete, for a knight who bore an armigerous, swallow-tailed pennon on his lance and was, therefore, below the rank of banneret – a knight bachelor (see also ‘banneret 2)’ and ‘lance pennon 1)’.

PENSIL

See ‘pencel’.

PER BEND

1) In heraldry the term used when a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof is divided diagonally from top left to bottom right across its field (see also ‘bend’, ‘in bend’, ‘party’ and ‘quartering 1)’).
2) In vexillology the term is sometimes used in place of in bend or bendwise when an object, charge or charges are placed as above (see also ‘armigerous’, ‘descending diagonal 2)’, ‘bicolour 1)’ and ‘crown of rue’).

House Flag of Bos & Kalis NV, The Netherlands (fotw)

PER BEND SINISTER

1) In heraldry the term used when a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof is divided diagonally from bottom left to top right across its field (see also ‘bend sinister’, ’in bend sinister’, ‘party’ and ‘quartering 1)’).

2) In vexillology the term is sometimes used in place of in bend sinister or bendwise sinister when an object, charge or charges are placed as above - but see ‘ascending diagonal 2)’ (also ‘bicolour 1)’).

Flag of Nehodív, Czech Republic (fotw)

PER CHEVRON

The heraldic term used when the divisions on a shield or banner of arms, or a series of charges thereon, appear to form a triangle, sometimes embowed and generally (although not invariably) with the apex upward – but see ‘pile 1)’ and ‘pile 2)’ (also ‘chevron’, ‘embowed’, ‘party’ and ‘reversed 2)’).

Flag of Alberton, South Africa (fotw); Flag of Neu Wulmstorf, Germany (fotw); Arms and Flag of Koprivnica-Krizevci, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Seftigen, Switzerland (fotw)

PER COMPLEMENT

See ‘moon 2)’ with following note.

PER FESS

1) In heraldry the term used when a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof is divided horizontally (see also ‘fess’, ‘in fess’, party and ‘quartering 1)’).

2) In vexillology the term is sometimes also used in place of in fess or fesswise when an object, charge or charges, appear in a horizontal position.

Flag of Medalpad, Sweden (fotw); Arms of Recica ob Savinji, Croatia (fotw)

PER PALE

1) In heraldry the term used when a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof is divided vertically (see also ‘in pale’, ‘pale’, ‘party’ and ‘quartering 1)’).

2) In vexillology the term is sometimes also used in place of in pale or palewise when an object, charge or charges, appear in a vertical position.

Flag of Argau, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of West Flanders, Belgium (fotw)

PER SALTIRE

1) In heraldry the term used when the division lines on a shield, banner of arms or flag run in a diagonal fashion from the upper corners - saltirewise - but see note below (also ‘in saltire’, ‘party’, and ‘saltire’).

2) In vexillology the term is sometimes also used in place of in saltire or saltirewise when two separate objects or charges cross each other diagonally - but see note below (also ‘orthogonal’,).

Flag of Aragua, Venezuela (fotw); Flag of Lubenice, Czech Republic (fotw)

Please note with that the standard vexillological term for a flag divided per saltire is “quartered diagonally”.

PERSONAL FLAG

1) In UK usage, a fringed plain royal blue flag bearing in its centre a crowned and garlanded ‘E’, and used by HM The Queen when paying official visits abroad to those countries of which she is not head of state but see note below (also ‘garland’, ‘monogram’ and ‘royal standard’).

2) See ‘banner 1)’.

3) A flag intended by the designer for his personal use or that of his family (see also ‘house flag 3)’).

4) In US naval usage, a term for denoting an officer's rank – see ‘flag of command’ (also ‘distinguishing flag 3)’, ‘individual flag’ and ‘rank flag 1)’).

Please note that the various flags used by HM The Queen (of Great Britain) when visiting a Commonwealth country of which she is head of state are also officially described as personal flags, but must also be considered as the royal standards of the countries concerned (see also ‘royal standard’ and ‘standard 1)’).

Royal Standard of New Zealand (Bartram)

Personal Flag of HM The Queen, UK (Bartram)

PETRA SANCTA METHOD

See ‘hatching 1)’.

PHOINIKIS

See ‘semeion’.

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