A flag with a history reaching back more than eight thousand years still stands as a symbol of unity among the lands that once formed the vast realm of Iran-shahr and the imperial monarchies of ancient Persia.

The Derafsh-e Kaviani rises from the oldest stories of this land, an emblem that even many politicians, diplomats, and artists do not fully know. Its origin lies not in royal courts but in the hands of a free-spirited and patriotic people: in the leather apron of an ironworker named Kaveh.

During the dark age of Zahhak, when a thousand years of oppression lay heavy upon the people of Iran, Kaveh raised his apron as a flag on a spear, calling the nation to resist tyranny and support Fereydun, a prince descended from the legendary kings of Iran. After Fereydun’s victory, that simple apron was transformed: a cross-shaped symbol representing the four elements fire, water, wind, and earth was placed upon it, and it was decorated with jewels and colours drawn from the hues of sunrise and sunset. From that time onward, it became known as the Derafsh-e Kaviani, the Kaviani flag.

Its mythological origins appear in the Avesta, the Shahnameh, and in ancient Iranian rituals. These texts recount the rise of a people against injustice, creating a flag born from their collective will. From Pahlavi literature to the great Persian epics, the Derafsh-e Kaviani is remembered as a symbol of freedom and national awakening deeply rooted in the memory of the Iranian people.

Its role becomes even more striking in the Parthian and especially the Sasanian era. As myth blended into history, the flag assumed a formal, royal appearance. During the Arsacid and Sasanian periods, it became one of the most important military and ceremonial standards. Roman, Byzantine, and Arab sources describe it as a purple silk flag, sometimes double-layered, adorned with gold and precious stones, with a lotus flower an emblem of peace at its centre, a motif seen even in earlier Achaemenid carvings. A golden eagle often crowned the top of the flag, symbolising divine glory and royal authority. On the battlefield, its presence signalled the presence of the king and strengthened the morale and legitimacy of the army.

The fate of the flag was tragic. After the Arab invasion of Iran fifteen centuries ago, historical sources recount that during the Battle of Qadisiyyah (636 CE), the Derafsh-e Kaviani fell into the hands of the invading forces; its jewels were removed and its cloth torn apart. With the collapse of the Sasanian empire, one of Iran’s most ancient flags disappeared.

Yet Iranians long believed that when the flag of a nation falls, the nation itself falls. Perhaps for this reason, the story of the Derafsh was preserved for more than fifteen hundred years not as a physical object, but as a cultural memory. Through myth, poetry, and storytelling, it was carried from one generation to the next.

Deep within the historical consciousness and identity of Iran-shahr, the Derafsh-e Kaviani lived on long after its destruction. Medieval poets and historians spoke of it as a symbol of Iran, justice, freedom, and cultural unity. During the Pahlavi era, it resurfaced as an emblem of ancient Iranian grandeur and national identity. But after the 1979 uprising and the takeover of Iran by radical Islamist and leftist groups, it was once again systematically removed from textbooks and public culture.

Today, the Derafsh-e Kaviani is more than an ancient flag it is a cultural, mythological, and civilisational symbol. It represents resistance against oppression, the triumph of truth over falsehood, and the enduring unity of peoples who identify with Iranian heritage even beyond the modern borders of Iran. It stands as a reminder of the shared legacy that has bound the peoples of Greater Iran for millennia, an inheritance that can still inspire harmony, solidarity, and a renewed sense of identity among Persian-speaking communities.

By Leila Naseri: Author | Composer | Social Cultural Activist