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# Dictionary of Vexillology: T (Tab – Teutonic Cross)

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Last modified: 2026-07-04 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- TAB
- TABARD
- TABLE FLAG (or TABLETOP FLAG)
- TACK
- TACK PIN
- TACKLINE
- TAILS
- TAKBIR
- TALONED
- TANGLE ROD
- TAPERED SWALLOWTAIL
- TASSELS
- TATZENKREUZ
- TATZENSPITZKREUZ (or NAGELSPITZENKREUZ)
- TAU CROSS
- TELEGRAPH FLAG
- TELEGRAPHING
- TEMPLAR CROSS
- TEMPLATE FLAG
- TENNÉ
- TERRITORIAL ARMS (or COAT OF ARMS)
- TERRITORIAL CROWN
- TERRITORIAL FLAG
- TERRY
- TEUTONIC CROSS

TAB
  A small piece of leather sewn into the sleeve of a flag fastened to a screw head protruding from the staff, and designed to keep an indoor flag, parade flag or military colour from slipping (see also colour 2) and sleeve 2)).

  Please note that this is an alternative to a grommet and clip or decorative nails as methods of fixing a parade flag or military colour to its staff. It should be noted also however, that the practice of tying a parade flag or military colour to its staff, or affixing it with metal rings, is not entirely obsolete (see also ties).

TABARD
  1) In US army usage, a trumpet banner – see bannerette.
  2) The formal surcoat worn by a herald on ceremonial occasions, and emblazoned with those arms appropriate to the particular office involved (see also coat of arms 2)).

  Court of Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland (heraldicjewelry.com)

TABLE FLAG (or TABLETOP FLAG)
  A small flag, frequently mounted on a cross bar whose staff and stand make it suitable for display on a desk or podium – a desk flag (see also banneret 1), flaglet, handwaver).

  Table Flag of Gračišće, Croatia

TACK
  1. The nautical term for a line which is spliced into (or attached to) a grommet or eyelet at the foot of a flag’s hoist for securing it to its halyard (see also grommet 1), hoist 2), inglefield clips, splice, tackline).
  2. A term for the lower hoist corner of a flag (see also hoist 2)).

TACK PIN
  See belaying pin.

  Tack/Belaying Pins (Wikipedia)

TACKLINE
  A nautical term for a length of halyard fitted with inglefield clips at both ends which is used to separate different signal hoists on the same halyard (see also hoist 2), tack).

TAILS
  Two or more projections extending from the fly of a flag or the bottom edge of a gonfalon, hanging flag or banner, either varying in width/length or of even size, sometimes triangular or possibly straight-sided with rounded, triangular or squared ends – tongues (see also multitailed, swallow-tail(ed), triangular-ended tails).

  Gonfalon/Ceremonial Flags of Kumrovec, Breznički Hum and Baska, Croatia

TAKBIR
  A term for the Arabic inscription Allahu Akbar (“God is greater”) that has appeared on several Arab Flags and can currently be seen on those of Iran and Iraq (see also shahada and zulfikar).

  Flag of the Waziristan Resistance Movement c1930, Pakistan; National Flag of Iran; Flag of Pakhtunistan, Pakistan

TALONED
  In heraldry see armed (also membered).

  Arms and Flag of Brandenburg, Germany

TANGLE ROD
  A metal implement attached to a flag pole (particularly one set at an angle from a building) that clasps a flag and prevents it wrapping itself around the pole (see also flag spreader, outrigger pole, weighted fly).

TAPERED SWALLOWTAIL
  See broad command pennant, broad pennant, burgee 1), burgee 2), burgee command pennant.

  Broad Pennant, Norway; Burgee of the Bourne Yacht Club, US; Burgee Command Pennant, USN (seaflags.us)

  Please note that (in addition to the references given above) this term may also be applied (as one example) to the flag of the state of Ohio.

  Flag of the State of Ohio, US

TASSELS
  A decoration of twisted fabric or metal, often surrounding a wooden core and hanging from a cord, attached to a staff or directly onto a flag – especially a colour or parade flag (see also colour 2), cord(s) 1), lanyard 1), parade flag 2)).

  Ceremonial Flag of Abedim-Moncao (detail), Portugal (fisisco)

TATZENKREUZ
  The German term for a cross pattée.

  Flag of Cortaillod, Switzerland

TATZENSPITZKREUZ (or NAGELSPITZENKREUZ)
  The German term for the heraldic phrase a Latin cross fitchy – see fitchy, latin cross, cross of santiago (also cross fitchy and latin cross fleury fitchy).

  Flag of Villamayor de Santiago, Spain

TAU CROSS
  In heraldry see cross tau.

  Flag of L’Albiol, Spain

TELEGRAPH FLAG
  1) In British RN usage now obsolete, the flag devised by Captain Sir Home Popham in 1800, and raised prior to a signal hoist to indicate whether the following flags were to be deciphered using a signal book or by his vocabulary code (see also code pennant, finishing flag, preparative, signal flag).
  2) Marryat's 1817 code (of signals for the merchant service) also showed a telegraph flag – but see note b) below (also Marryat's code).

  Telegraph Flag in Popham’s Code; Telegraph Flag in Marryat's Code

  Note
  a) With regard to 1), this system formed the basis of the RN naval code for over 100 years.
  b) Regarding 2), exactly how this flag was in used in Marryat’s code cannot be confirmed at the present time, however, it is not unreasonable to assume a similar meaning to that in Popham.

TELEGRAPHING
  See semaphore 2).

TEMPLAR CROSS
  1) Generically a red cross of varying design representing the Medieval Order of the Knights Templar – see bauceant and balcanifer.
  2) Specifically, the cross of the Portuguese branch of the above order – see rounded cross.

  Flag of Vila Chă de Braciosa, Portugal; Bauceans Battle Flag; Flag of Ferreira do Zêzere, Portugal

TEMPLATE FLAG
  That flag whose colours and/or design form the model upon which other flags are based – an archivexillum (see also core flag and flag family).

  Flag of Berlin, Germany, together with those of The Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf District and Mitte District of that city

TENNÉ
  A heraldic term for the colour orange – see mixed tinctures.

TERRITORIAL ARMS (or COAT OF ARMS)
  See coat of arms.

  Arms of Odesa Oblast, Ukraine

TERRITORIAL CROWN
  See leafy crown.

  Arms of Dubno District, Ukraine

TERRITORIAL FLAG
  See sub-national flag.

  Flag of Altay Territory, Russia

TERRY
  A heraldic term for the colour of earth – see proper.

TEUTONIC CROSS
  A cross of varying design, but always black on a white field, and symbolic of the German Order of The Brothers of St Mary of Jerusalem – see iron cross.

  Flag and Arms of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order c1500

  Please note that this term should only be used when the cross so described has a direct connection to the Teutonic Order.

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