Plow on Ukrainian flag and other surprises: blue-and-yellow symbol’s true story

Countries that have gained their independence are always trying to prove their importance in the world and get rid of the "former province of country X" strain. In the pursuit of finding a glorious past, peoples (consciously or not) mystify their history, boasting to the world about their origins and foundations almost from the Stone Age. Ukrainians are no exception: during the years of independence, some of our scholars proudly pounded their chests at international conferences, claiming their antiquity from all European nations, thus arousing the surprised looks of foreign colleagues.

And when a nation antiquates its history, it inevitably applies to its symbols, such as the flag. On the day of Ukraine's flag, we analyze when the blue and yellow flag was born, what the "competitors" were, and how its interpretation changed over time. Spoiler alert: It's not what it seems.