CIRCA - 1884 🇪🇪 - horizontal tricolor of blue (top), black (middle) & white (bottom) equal stripes

HISTORY: Known as Eesti Lipp, ("flag of Estonia") the tricolor was 1st adopted by the Estonian Students' Society Vironia at

Otepää, as a symbol of ethnic Estonian identity, during the national awakening movement, specifically avoiding colors

traditionally associated with Russia, due to their suppression on Estonian culture.

The Provisional Government of newly independent Estonia proclaimed it the state flag in 1918,

(formalized in 1922) Suppressed during the occupations by the USSR & Nazi Germany, it was

re-adopted in 1990, a year before full independence was achieved.

VEXILLOLOGY:* Traditionally interpreted as;

• The  BLUE 🔍 Stripe  symbolizing sky, lakes & sea🔍, reflecting loyalty & endurance

• The BLACK Stripe  representing the dark soil, past hardships, & the clan's bond

• The WHITE Stripe is meant to evoke purity, hard work, & the Baltic🔍 winter ❄️ snow

* The STUDY of FLAGS; their history, symbolism, usage, and design. From Latin vexillum - referring to a Roman military standard / flag (from velum= cloth/ covering/sail/curtain

[PIE🔍 root weg = to weave / to cover]) + Greek suffix -logia = study]