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# Dictionary of Vexillology: L (Labarum – Layered Saltire)

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Last modified: 2026-08-21 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- LABARUM
- LABEL
- LAMBEAU
- LAMB OF GOD
- LANCE
- LANCE FLAG (or PENNANT)
- LANCE PENNON
- LANCEOLATE
- LANDESFARBEN
- LANGUAGE FLAGS
- LANGUED
- LANYARD
- LANYARD PENNANT
- LAPEL FLAG (or PIN)
- LAPPED
- LAPPETS
- LARMES
- LATE-GOTHIC (or LATE-GOTHIC-STYLE) SHIELD
- LATE-MEDIEVAL SHIELD
- LATIN CROSS
- LATIN CROSS BOTTONY
- LATIN CROSS FLEURY FITCHY
- LATIN CROSS REVERSED
- LATIN CROSS THROUGHOUT
- LATTICE
- LATTICED
- LAUNCHING FLAGS
- LAY UP COLORS
- LAYERED CROSS
- LAYERED SALTIRE

LABARUM
  1) A flag based on the vexillum and combining Christian symbols with those of the Roman military, introduced by the Emperor Constantine in the early 4th Century AD, and later used as an imperial standard – but see cantabrian labarum (also vexillum).
  2) The term sometimes used to describe a simple religious banner used in the Roman Catholic Church or the depiction of such a banner on flags – see banner 3).
  3) A term also used to describe an elaborate (gonfalon-like) banner of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

  The Labarum of Constantine; State Flag of Vorarlberg, Austria; Vexillum of the Roman Legio XIII Gemina

  Please note – not to be confused with a Cantabrian labarum.

LABEL
  1) See cadency, mark of.
  2) In heraldry a term sometimes also used to describe the tapes which hang below a prelate’s mitre – but see stringed.
  3) In British usage, the (varyingly detailed) marks of cadency employed on the standards of particular Royal Family members (see also royal standard(s) 2), plus cadency, mark of and its following note difference 1) and variant 1)).

  British Royal Standards Showing the Labels of HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH Princess Anne, and of HRH Prince Henry

LAMBEAU
  An alternative heraldic term to dovetailed.

  Flag of Wendeburg, Germany

LAMB OF GOD
  See agnus dei.

  Flag of Berlikum, The Netherlands

LANCE
  A long light-weight spear with which some cavalry regiments were formerly armed, and upon which the standard or guidon was also carried – now restricted to historical or ceremonial use (see also guidon 1) & 2), lance flag, lance pennon 1), staff 2) and standard 2)).

  Lancer, France 1812 (Wikipedia)

LANCE FLAG (or PENNANT)
  A small flag or pennant, usually swallow-tailed or triangular and of generally simple (bicolour) design, formerly carried below the lance head by those cavalry regiments so armed, or currently by some mounted police units in parade dress, and now restricted to historical/ceremonial use – a lance pennant or pennon (see also banneret 2), pennant 2), lance and lance pennon 1)).

  Lance Flag, British c1840; Lance Pennant, Lebanon

  Please note that the use of lance-armed cavalry and the general design of their flag or pennant derive from Polish practice – Poland having been the country from which lance-armed light cavalry was adopted in the late 18th century.

LANCE PENNON
  1)The term for an armigerous lance flag, either fork-tailed or square-ended according to rank, and carried by a medieval mounted warrior (see also banner of arms, banneret 2), lance, pennoncier, heraldic standard.
  2) See badge pennon.
  3) See lance flag.

  Lance Pennon of Sir Robert Knolles. Knight Banneret c1360, England; Lance Pennon of a Pennoncier (or Knight Bachelor), England 1415; Badge Pennon, England c1460

LANCEOLATE
  (adj) A term that may be used to describe a rounded fly – but see note below and ogival (also descate, guidon 3), standard 4) and heraldic standard).

  Flag of Leśna, Poland

  Please note that the differences between ogival and “lanceolate” are often very slight, and we suggest that both entries be consulted.

LANDESFARBEN
  See national colours 2) and state colours 3) (also livery colours).

  Landesfarben/National Colours, Germany; Landesfarben/State Colours, Brandenburg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt

LANGUAGE FLAGS
  See linguistic flags.

  Amalgam/Language Flags for English and German

LANGUED
  The heraldic term used when the tongue of the beast, if shown, is of different tincture than the rest of the body (see also armed 2), armed and langued, attired, beaked, membered).

  Flag of Zermatt, Switzerland; Flag of Aalter, Belgium; Flag of New Bern, US

LANYARD
  1) In French military usage and in some others – and a translation of fourragère – the term for those cords and tassels that are worn on military uniforms to signify the award of a unit decoration, and may decorate that unit's military colour – see cord 1) and aiguillette (also colour 2), cravat 1), jack of honour, lanyard pennant).
  2) See halyard.
  3) See dress knot and its following note.

  (sofmilitary.co.uk)

LANYARD PENNANT
  In French Naval usage, the term – and in the language of that country a flamme de fourragère – for a tapered pennant in various colours, charged with the Croix de Guerre and having a rounded (or lanceolate) fly, which is flown to indicate that a vessel has received citations for a certain number of military decorations (see also cravat 1) and its following note, fanion 3), jack of honour, lanyard 1), pennant 2)).

  Six citations for the Legion d’Honneur, 1914–18; 4–5 Citations for the Médaille Militaire 1939–45

LAPEL FLAG (or PIN)
  1) A metal or plastic flag – sometimes showing a badge or coat of arms below – worn on the dress or coat lapel as a patriotic or political symbol, originally characteristic of the United States and the former Soviet Union, but now widely used elsewhere – a flag badge or flag pin.
  2) A paper flag see flag day 2).

  Flag pins (buyldsproducts.com/fahnenwelt.ch)

LAPPED
  A term sometimes incorrectly used to describe the leaves of a rose in place of the heraldic barbed.

LAPPETS
  The heraldic term sometimes used to describe the tapes which hang below a bishop’s mitre – but see stringed.

  Arms and Flag of Real, Braga, Portugal

LARMES
  An alternative heraldic term to gouttes.

  Arms and Flag of Samnanger, Norway

LATE-GOTHIC (or LATE-GOTHIC-STYLE) SHIELD
  Terms sometimes used (albeit inaccurately) in vexillology to describe a round-bottomed or spanish-style shield – but see note below (also rectangular shield, shield 2)).

  Please note that in vexillology the terms Gothic and late-Gothic appear to be used indiscriminately to describe either a pointed or a round-bottomed shield, and the Editors suggest therefore, that both these terms, if used at all, should be restricted to those with a pointed base.

LATE MEDIEVAL SHIELD
  See renaissance shield.

  Flag of Ilok, Croatia

LATIN CROSS
  The heraldic term for a cross that does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, panel or flag, but whose horizontal arm is shorter than its vertical and which is set above the centre line – a long cross – but see the notes below (also greek cross and cross 2)).

  Flag of Vila de Ala, Portugal; Flag of La Uvita, Colombia; Flag of Benavente, Portugal

  Notes
  a) Unless referring to a plain cross, this term should always be accompanied by a further description, for example a Latin cross fleury fitchy as illustrated above.
  b) In vexillological terms a Latin cross throughout (particularly when in fess / transversant) becomes an off-centred or Scandinavian-type cross as illustrated below – see off-centered cross 2), off-centered cross 3) (also throughout).

  Flag of Pula, Croatia

LATIN CROSS BOTTONY
  The heraldic term for a cross of victory.

  Flag of Asturias, Spain

LATIN CROSS FLEURY FITCHY
  The correct heraldic term for a cross of santiago.

  Flag of Quinta do Conde, Portugal; Flag of Ferreira do Alentejo, Portugal; Flag of Azeitão, Portugal

LATIN CROSS REVERSED
  The heraldic term for a cross of st peter.

  Flag and Arms of Osuchowa, Poland

LATIN CROSS THROUGHOUT
  See latin cross and off-centred cross 2) with their following notes.

  Merchant Flag c1650 Riga, Latvia

LATTICE
  1) In vexillology a pattern of interlaced bars forming a (usually but not invariably) diagonal trellis.
  2) In heraldry see fretty and latticed.

  Flag of Prostějov, Czechia; Flag of Sobreira Formosa, Portugal; Flag of Glinde, Germany

LATTICED
  The heraldic term used to describe a pattern of interlaced bars resembling fretty, but with those bars placed vertically and horizontally as in a portcullis – portcullised (see also gridiron).

  Flag of Gradil, Portugal; Flag of Grade, Portugal; Flag of Menden, Germany

LAUNCHING FLAGS
  Those flags flown from a vessel that is being launched prior to fitting out, and which in naval usage are generally (but not invariably) of a prescribed type and sequence (see also dressing lines and flag exchange).

  Launching of HMS St Albans 1747, UK (Wikipedia)

  Notes:
  a) The flags flown in the above illustration are i) in the bow a Union Jack, ii) at the fore a Flag of the Lord High Admiral, iii) at the main a Royal Standard and iv) at the mizzen a second Union Jack, with the suite completed by a pre-1801 Red Ensign at the stern.
  b) This combination was usual (in the UK) for the launching of a warship in this era, and is still flown (but with a White Ensign) when HM The King is aboard a naval ship – see anchor flag and its following notes.

LAY UP (or LAYING UP) COLOURS (or COLORS)
  (v) The ceremonial deposit of regimental, unit, service or national colours in a church, cathedral or museum when they they are ready for replacement, or when the regiment or military organisation concerned is disbanded (see also colour 2) and colours 2)).

LAYERED CROSS
  A term that may be used to describe a cross whose horizontal arm differs in colour from its vertical as in the flag of the former Netherlands Antilles – but see the notes below (also cross 1), layered saltire, trinitarian cross, tripartite).

  Flag of the Netherlands Antilles 1986–2010; Flag of Gordevio, Switzerland; Flag of Bělov, Czechia

  Notes
  a) This term has been introduced by the Editors as no established alternative could be found.
  b) As can be seen in the illustration above, the term can include a heraldic cross, but:
  c) It should only be used in the description of flags as shown above, and does not include crosses which show two colours because of a fimbriation, or are divided in ways other than those shown.

LAYERED SALTIRE
  A term that may be used to describe any saltire where an arm of one colour overlays (or apparently overlays) an arm of a different colour as in the examples given below (see also layered cross and tripartite).

  Flag of Rubi, Spain; Flag of Horní Cerekev, Czechia

  Notes
  a) This term has been introduced by the Editors as no established alternative could be found.
  b) It should only be used in the description of flags as illustrated above, and does not include saltires which show two colours because of a fimbriation, or are divided in ways other than those shown.

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