Columns of Gediminas

'Pillars of the Gediminids'; Belarusian: Калюмны, romanized: Kaliumny, 'Columns') are one of the earliest symbols of Lithuania and its historical coats of arms.

[1] They were used in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, initially as a rulers' personal insignia, a state symbol, and later as a part of heraldic signs of leading aristocracy.

It is notable that the ancient pre-Christian symbols of Lithuania did not follow the same strict rules of heraldry as their Western counterparts.

The more exact name of the symbol is the Pillars of Gediminids, since there is no direct evidence of its connection with Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas.

[4] It was suggested by historian Edmundas Antanas Rimša, who analyzed the ancient coins, that the Columns of the Gediminids symbolizes the Gates of the Trakai Peninsula Castle.

The Columns of Gediminas with post horn are also the official logo of the Lithuanian postal company — Lietuvos paštas.

[7] In modern Belarus, the columns of Gediminas, alongside the Pahonia, are occasionally used as a symbol of national pride.

[13] In Ukraine, the coat of arms of Zhytomyr Oblast adopted an archaic form of the Vytis (Pohonia) on the second quarter, with the Columns of Gediminas on knight's shield.

The coat of arms of Brahin is a pall reversed:
1. The symbol of Prince Izyaslav of Polotsk , Gules , on an argent field ;
2. Columns of Gediminas, Argent on a gules field ;
3. Coat of arms of Kaributas , Or , on a azure field .
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