The Fascinating Story Behind the Zia Symbol on the New Mexico Flag

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With a red Zia sun sign against a bright yellow background, New Mexico’s state flag stands out among other flags with blue backgrounds and state seals. Here’s the fascinating meaning behind the sacred Zia sun symbol on the New Mexico flag.

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Vexillology is the study of flags. So when the North American Vexillological Association determines that your flag is the best-designed of any US state, US territory, or Canadian province, you’ve definitely earned bragging rights.

Congratulations New Mexico!

Yes, that’s right. The bright yellow flag of New Mexico with its red Zia symbol is considered the best-designed flag north of the Mexican border. The evaluation is based on these five design principles:

1. Keep it simple – a child should be able to draw the flag from memory.
2. Meaningful symbolism – images, colors, and patterns should be chosen with intent
3. Don’t overdo it – select no more than three, standard colors with good contrast
4. No lettering or seals – a well-designed flag should avoid writing of any kind as well as the organization’s seal
5. Be unique, but don’t stray too far from the pack – avoid mimicking other flags, but use similar design features to show the connection to other, related organizations

Sage Advice: Here’s where you can buy a New Mexico state flag.

But do you know the history and meaning of the Zia Symbol on the country’s best-designed flag?

Fun Fact: The New Mexico flag is one of four state flags that doesn’t include the color blue. The other three are Alabama, California, and Maryland.

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History of the New Mexico Flag

When New Mexico became the United States’ 47th state on January 6, 1912, it didn’t have a state flag. As a new decade dawned and New Mexico still didn’t have a flag, the Daughters of the American Revolution encouraged New Mexico to cross this last item off of their new state to do list. The quest to create a contemporary and unique flag for New Mexico was solved in a relatively modern way — by holding a contest.

Fun Fact: During the first 14 years of statehood, New Mexico did not have an official flag. When the World’s Fair was held in San Diego in 1915, an unofficial New Mexico flag was displayed in an exhibit showcasing all state flags. New Mexico’s unofficial flag featured a plain blue background with the US flag in the upper, left corner, the words “New Mexico, and the number 47 because New Mexico was the nation’s 47th state.

Enter Dr. Harry P. Mera, a physician and anthropologist living in Santa Fe, the new state’s capital. After serving as a doctor during World War I, Dr. Mera left the US Army and became an anthropologist and first curator of the Laboratory of Anthropology. In this role, Dr. Mera was inspired by a sun-like design on a 19th-century clay pot in the museum.

As it turns out, the ceremonial vase on display was stolen from the Zia people by another anthropologist, James Stevenson, back in 1890. Working for the Smithsonian Institution, he built a rapport with the Zia people and was allowed to attend their sacred ceremonies.

When he tried to purchase pieces of pottery with the Zia sun symbol, the Zia people wouldn’t allow it. So Stevenson stole the clay piece and documented the theft in a book he later published. The pottery has been returned to the Zia people and is no longer in the Santa Fe museum.

Fun Fact: While the New Mexico state flag features the Zia sun sign, the newest license plate design features this other symbol of the Land of Enchantment.

Related Article: A Spiritual Quest in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Back to the flag contest…

Dr. Mera paired the Zia sun symbol with the bright red and yellow colors of the Spanish flag. His wife, Reba, sewed their contest entry into the winning flag, and the couple received a $25 prize, about $350 in today’s dollars.

Fun Fact: Today the Laboratory of Anthropology is known as the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture.