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1972 coat of arms of the Federation of Arab Republics.
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Pre-1972 coat of arms of United Arab Republic.
The Egyptian coat of arms (Arabic: شعار مصر) is a golden eagle looking towards the viewer's left (dexter).
[edit] Appearance
The "Eagle of Saladin" holds a scroll on which the name of the state appears in Arabic script, Gumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiya ("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. During the union with Syria in the United Arab Republic (1958-1961) and until 1971, the eagle carried two stars in this place. Between 1972 and 1984 the eagle was replaced by the golden hawk of Qureish, as part of the symbolism of the Federation of Arab Republics.
The eagle as a symbol of Saladin is disputed by archeologists. The symbol of an eagle was found on the west wall of the citadel of Cairo (constructed by Saladin), and so is assumed by many to be his personal symbol. There is, however, little proof to defend this. It was subsequently adopted as a symbol of Arab nationalism by Iraq, Palestine, and Yemen (and formerly by Libya).
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