View source for Flag throwing

{{More footnotes|date=December 2015}}
{{Expand Italian|topic=cult|Sbandieratore|date=March 2021}}
[[File:Sbandieratori 3.JPG|thumb|Sbandieratori]]

'''Flag throwing''', known in the US as "color guard" and in Italy as "sbandieratore" is considered both an art and a sport combined. Historically, it would accompany military or marching bands, however it has now become a competitive sport in its own right.

==History==
The origins of flag throwing are difficult to pinpoint - it has possible roots in [[Roman Empire|Roman]], [[Babylonia|Babylonian]] and [[Assyrian Empire|Assyrian]] history.<ref>https://www.fisb.net/site/la-storia-della-bandiera/</ref> It was popular with [[medieval guild]]s (principally in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Flanders, and Southern Netherlands) for use during times of war, to allow troops to communicate to each other across the battleground. A guild's banner or [[flag]] was considered a symbol of purity, and as such it was not allowed to touch the ground.<ref>https://italoamericano.org/flag-throwing-italian/</ref> After a battle was won, flag bearers, along with military bands, would take part in victory parades on their return home. 

Today, flag throwing is part of many traditional festivals in Italy, such as [[Siena|Siena's]] [[Palio]]. <ref>http://www.aboutsiena.com/palio-of-Siena.html</ref> It is also a popular sport in schools in the US, where it is known as "color guard". Color guard is practiced along with marching bands.

==References==
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==External links==
{{commonscat|Flag throwers}}
* [http://www.fisb.net/ Federazione italiana Sbandieratori] The Italian official flag throwing federation.
* [http://www.legasbandieratori.net/ Lega italiana Sbandieratori] The Italian flag-throwing league.
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050513055310/http://www.fotw.us/flags/xf-thro.html Flag throwing]}}, on ''Flags Of The World'' website.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060509234311/http://www.sbandieratoripieve.it/ricerca/ricerca.htm SbandierAutori] – An Italian book on the flag throwers tradition
* [http://www.schoolofthesword.com/bandiera.html Alfieri's "La Bandiera"] – Information on [[Francesco Alfieri|Francesco Alfieri's]] treatise on flag waving, 'La Bandiera', published in 1638
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[[Category:Entertainment occupations]]
[[Category:Flag practices]]
[[Category:Medieval occupations]]
[[Category:Object manipulation]]
[[Category:Culture of Switzerland]]


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