The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, as the country was known under the communist system (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), adopted a version of the Soviet Red Banner in 1953 that included two horizontal light blue stripes. Following its proclamation of independence on October 27, 1991, Turkmenistan sought a new flag design, which was eventually introduced on February 19, 1992. The most striking part of the new flag is the vertical stripe of Bordeaux red on which there is an elaborate design composed of five carpet guls (motifs), respectively associated with the Salor (Salor rug), Tekke (Tekke carpet), Saryk (Sarūk carpet), Yomut (Yomut carpet), and Chaudor (Chaudor carpet) tribes. The traditional patterns have for centuries been woven into the rich carpets for which the Turkmen are famous. Even in the Soviet era, the Turkmen coat of arms (arms, coat of) included a carpet.