The coat of arms of Antioquia is a symbol of Antioquia, a department of Colombia located in the northwest of the country. It has a history of more than 200 years and its symbols highlight its indigenous roots.
The department of Antioquia is located northwest of Colombia and is, excluding the Capital District, the most populated region in the country. It has a land area of 63,612 square kilometers and limits to the South with Risaralda and Caldas; to the East with Bolívar, Santander and Boyacá; to the West with Chocó and to the North with the Caribbean Sea.
Like the rest of Latin America, Colombia has a history of indigenous peoples that would later be colonized, resulting in a mestizo population. Antioquia's location on the shores of the Caribbean also provided the department with a migratory flow, unlike other areas in Colombia.
This area today known as Antioquia was conquered by Spain at the beginning of the 16th century and developed as a colony for just over three centuries, until 1810, when the independence movement began in the department, inspired by other uprisings throughout the viceroyalty of Nueva Pomegranate.
History
The current shield of Antioquia is based on the general provisions of the shield described in decree No. 21 of 1812. However, the department temporarily adopted other shields.
Prior to the shield of 1812, the then free state of Antioquia had the Great Seal of the Free State of Antioquia as its symbol.
On August 23, 1812, Decree No. 21 was issued by the Senate Chamber of Antioquia. This decree made official the characteristics of the shield that the department of Antioquia would adopt.
The Senate Chamber, a corporation that was made up of deputies from different cantons and provinces, literally declared the public coat of arms to be adopted, describing its generalities.
Some characteristics, such as the colors or the spatial arrangement of the elements, were defined later.
In this decree essential parts of the shield were defined. Among these are the matron dressed as an indiana, as the central part of the shield; and the presence of other symbols, such as the palm tree, the banana and the hill.
Later, between 1858 and 1863, several shields were adopted, when Antioquia was a sovereign state.
In 1912 the Antioquia coat of arms was institutionalized as it is used today. The only noticeable change was the golden color that was given to the mountain. In the coat of arms of 1812, this mountain was brown.
Meaning
Heraldry, the art that explains the content of the shields, is used to represent what is to be highlighted in a region; With this shield it was sought to show the new autonomy of the Antioquia people, to point out their wealth, virtues and values.
The matron
The woman dressed "a la indiana" is the central image of the shield. It represents the Antioquia race and the diversity of its people. In the area of indigenous settlements, the Embera, Zenú and Tule peoples stand out.
Due to its location on the shores of the Caribbean, Antioquia also has Afro-Latin influences. They are native inhabitants of the Pacific coasts and the Caribbean region. In addition, its open position to the sea placed Antioquia as the gateway for Europeans arriving in Colombia.
At present, this translates to a mostly mestizo people; According to the latest census of the department, 88% of its inhabitants are mestizo or of European descent, 10% have Afro-Latin roots and 0.5% remain part of an indigenous community.
The hill
The hill occupies a large part of the shield and its purpose is to represent the wealth of Colombia, especially for the gold that was abundant at the time. In the image, it is usually depicted with a bright yellow hue.
One of the incentives for the European expeditions in America was to find exploitable wealth and such was the case of Antioquia. To date, one of the most important primary activities in the department is mining extraction.
Among the goods extracted in the mines, gold, coal and platinum abound. To a lesser extent, the region is rich in resources such as oil, zinc, copper, lead, iron, marble, and asbestos.
The banana
On a large crop of bananas the matron is shown sitting. This element of the shield refers to the various crops of the region and its agricultural capacity. Banana is especially represented, as it is together with coffee the most exported product in the area.
Even today, Antioquia is the largest national exporter of these products and the crops also include corn and other fruits. The climate of the area is the favorite for planting and even the slopes of the mountains are used as soil. Antioquia is the largest contributor to Colombia's GDP in agriculture.
The river
The left side of the shield is dyed blue thanks to the river. The reference to this element is direct: it celebrates the abundant hydrography of Antioquia. The department has rivers in abundance and is bathed by its coasts to the North and East.
As a natural border between the department of Antioquia and Chocó is the Atrato River; the Magdalena river, for its part, separates it from the department of Santander. In addition, all of Antioquia is crossed in the center by the Cauca River, which divides the Western and Central Andean mountain ranges.
The north of Antioquia receives the waves from the Caribbean Sea and the West is in contact with the Pacific Ocean. Of equal importance are the swamps that form within the region. This hydrographic wealth is observed in its dense vegetation and a thick jungle area.
The palm
Following the heraldic tradition, the palm trees embodied in the shield represent the various armed struggles in which the Antioquia people rose up and honor their victories. It should be noted that although the region was colonized for 300 years, the inhabitants of the area never stopped fighting.
A few years after the independence struggle began, the Spanish would try the process of conquest again; Many battles were fought, such as the combat of Chorros Blancos or the two civil wars that were fought in the department.
The hat
Finally, you can see on the shield how the matron proceeds to put on a hat, a symbolic representation of freedom and the emancipation of peoples.
After years of abuse, submission and deprivation of individual guarantees, the people of Antioquia had to attempt a process of struggle for independence.
It was during this stage, in full battle, that the creation of the shield was commissioned. The denouement would culminate in favor of the Antioqueños, who declared independence from Spain on August 11, 1813.
Themes of interest
Flag of Antioch.
Legends and myths of Antioch.
References
- Data from Antioquia. Accessed September 18, 2017.Available at: antioquia.gov.co
- Kline H. (2012). Historical dictionary of Colombia. The scarecrow press ink
- Masses R. (1996). History of Antioquia. Argus
- Espinosa J. History of Antioquia. Accessed September 18, 2017.Available at: line.do
- Administrative Department of Planning of the Government of Antioquia. (2006). Geostrategic Atlas of Antioquia. PLAN