Since its invention by Andrea Alciato, the emblem is inextricably connected to the natural world. Alciato and his followers drew massively their inspiration from it. For their information about nature, the emblem authors were greatly indebted to ancient natural history, the medieval bestiaries, and the 15th- and 16th-century proto-emblematics, especially the imprese. The natural world became the main topic of, for instance, Camerarius's botanical and zoological emblem books, and also of the 'applied' emblematics in drawings and decorative arts. Animal emblems are frequently quoted by naturalists (Gesner, Aldrovandi). This interdisciplinary volume aims to address these multiple connections between emblematics and Natural History in the broader perspective of their underlying ideologies - scientific, artistic, literary, political and/or religious. Contributors: Alison Saunders, Anne Rolet, Marisa Bass, Bernhard Schirg, Maren Biederbick, Sabine Kalff, Christian Peters, Frederik Knegtel, Agnes Kusler, Aline Smeesters, Astrid Zenker, Tobias Bulang, Sonja Schreiner, Paul Smith, and Karl Enenkel.

The flag is a country's national symbol, and is far more than a mere banner, it reflects that country's independence, the citizens, and their social views. As such, a flag is treated with respect, defended, and given a military salute. As so much is bound up in that flag, it may also be ridiculed, defiled, and burned in protest. As a symbol of the pride of the people, the flag is imbued with a variety of emotions around the world. Many flags are remnants of the often-turbulent history of nations destroyed. This book explains 326 flags, of which 219 are national flags and additional flags of international organizations, including the UN, the EU, and the Red Cross. Each flag's historical background and significance are recounted, along with explanations of its colors and symbols. Informative statistics also provided additional information about the countries and nations flying these flags. This book is for anyone with a passion for international affairs or world history.

This guide to the flags of the world provides concise, up-to-date coverage of every country in the world, giving the history, meaning and symbolism of national flags, together with large-scale and smaller locator maps. It includes: history of flags; colour flags of over 220 countries and territories; flags of international organisations; large-scale and detailed locator maps for easy reference; up-to-date data and statistics for all countries; information about the history and symbolism of each flag; a section on de facto and emerging states; and is fully indexed.