Coat of arms of Egypt

History

The "Eagle of Saladin" was first introduced as a symbol of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The current coat of arms was introduced during the Mubarak era, in 1984. In the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the eagle became associated with the Mubarak regime. Mehrez (2012) describes a stencilled graffiti depicting the "Eagle of Saladin" turned upside down as a call for the regime's downfall.

Appearance

The "Eagle of Saladin" holds a scroll on which the name of the state appears in Arabic script, Gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah ("Arab Republic of Egypt"). The eagle carries on its breast a shield with the flag's colors — but with a vertical instead of a horizontal configuration. When appearing on the national flag, the eagle is rendered entirely in gold and white. During the union with Syria in the United Arab Republic (1958–1961), and in the ten years afterwards when Egypt retained the union's official name, the two green stars of the union's flag appeared in the white band of the eagle's shield. Between 1972–1984 the eagle was replaced by the golden Hawk of Quraish, as part of the symbolism of the Federation of Arab Republics.