![[cover of path of daggers]](../images/f/fic-rfpo.jpg)
image found by Jorge Candeias, 8 May 2000
Last modified: 2019-02-10 by peter hans van den muijzenberg
Keywords: jordan (robert) | wheel of time | the path of daggers |
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image found by Jorge Candeias, 8 May 2000
Robert Jordan is a writer active in the heroic fantasy field, and wrote a long series (as usual in this genre) called "The Wheel of Time".
the flags seen on the books' covers are similar to the old roman vexilla, hanging from the horizontal
bar of a complex pole arranged in a cross, except that they are tied to the
vertical pole in the bottom, thus becoming similar in structure to a sail.
They seem to be, however, heraldical devices, and apparently are used as
family or clan symbols.
Jorge Candeias, 28 October 2005
![[red hanging banner with a black yin-yang symbol]](../images/f/fic-twot1.gif)
image by Jorge Candeias, 28 October 2005
The red
flag with the black yin-yang symbol, I believe represents the Black Tower of
the Ashaman. This is an organization of men who can "channel", doing magic
using energy that springs from a central "Source". There are two halves to
the Source, a male half and a female half, the names of which escape me, but
the black half of the yin-yang is the Dragon's Fang, representative of males
who can channel, and the white half is the Flame of Tar Valon,
representative of the female half. Might I also note that the bannerman on
the cover is flying the flag upside down! Unless I am greatly mistaken, the
point of the black half is supposed to be down, and that of the white half
up, so that the black half is a fang and the white half a flame.
Mark Allen, 12 March 2004
The ying-yang flag is symbolic of both male and female sources of the
One Power. In the book only females known as Aes Sedai practice the one
power openly in areas where they are accepted. Males who show signs of
possessing use of the One Power are captuted and 'stilled' so they will not be able
to use it. In other areas people are afraid of those using the One Power
and will find various enemies in opposition to it. The female Aes Sedai use
the white teadrop only as their symbol.
Anthony L..., 22 July 2004
![[white field hanging banner with a red and yellow dragon]](../images/f/fic-twot2.gif)
image by Jorge Candeias, 28 October 2005
The dragon symbol is used in the books as
a decoration on chapter pages. A good rendition of the dragon
appears here,
as well as another cover with a flag, this one blue with an eagle in flight on it.
Michael P. Smuda, 8 May 2000
The dragon banner is precisely that: The Dragon Banner. It is the emblem of
Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn. He is, of course, the striking chap on the
black horse carrying the sword in the cover image on your website, not to
mention the main character of the books. Finally, I can identify the other
flag mentioned – The blue field with the eagle in flight. That flag belongs
to Manetheren, a once-powerful empire of the fictional world in which these
books take place. The banner has recently been taken up by the Band of the
Red Hand, along with their own ensign, which I cannot recall at this time.
Mark Allen, 12 March 2004
The dragon flag is symbolic of the Dragon Reborn, a person of prophecy
who is to fight Shaitan and his forces in the last battle. He is a male who
can use the One Power. In the ancient history of the book there were both
male and female Aes Sedai but when the last Dragon defeated Shaitan, it made
the whole male side of the One Power tainted. Lewis Theron the Dragon then
went crazy and killed his family and all close to him, what followed was also
the Breaking of the World. The Dragon Reborn is Rand Al'Thor who lives
currently in the series.
Anthony L..., 22 July 2004
![[blue field, orange-red bird of prey in flight]](../images/f/fic-twot3.gif)
image by Eugene Ipavec, 29 October 2005
Book 9 of The Wheel of Time, titled "Winter's Heart," also has a flag of similar
design on its cover which you can see here. It is blue, with a orange-red bird of prey in flight and a thin border of the same color. I haven't read the books either, but I once leafed through a hardback edition at a used-book sale and vaguely recall a flag of some kind in
the fancy illustrated map in the frontispiece (also standard issue for books in
the fantasy genre.)
Eugene Ipavec, 29 October 2005
