Psara (Greece)

Ψαρα

Last modified: 2010-01-30 by ivan sache
Keywords: psara | anchor (red) | crescent (red) | star (red) | snake (green) | owl (yellow) |
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• Presentation of Psara
• Historical flag of Psara

See also:

• Greece
• Greece: War of Independence

Presentation of Psara

Psara is an island located near the island of Chios, off the western coast of Turkey.
On 8 September 1822, the joint fleets from Hydra, Psara and Spetses defeated the Ottoman Navy near Spetsai.

Ivan Sache, 2 February 2005

Historical flag of Psara

Flag of Psara - Image modified from [k7k97] by Eugene Ipavec, 24 November 2009

According to the book Hellenic flags [k7k97], the flag used in Psara during the Greek War of Independence is white with a red border, a red cross over a big crescent and a small star. On the cross' left is a red anchor "fouled" with a green snake whose tongue is biten by a yellow owl; in the cross' right is a red spear. The whole is flanked by the motto "ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ Η ΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ" (Freedom or Death) in red letters.

As explained in the Naval Museum of Hania (Crete), the cross stands for Christendom (Greece), the crescent for Islam (Turkey), the snake for wisdom, knowledge and reason, the anchor for stability, the spear for power and the bird for the help from God.
The combination of these elements probably represents the resurrection of the Greek nation: the cross overpowers the crescent moon. To bring about a successful fight however power (the spear) was required, as well as stability and perseverance (anchor), knowledge and wisdom (snake), and God's help through faith and religion (bird).

Bruce Tindall & Pascal Vagnat, 11 January 1999