Symbols & Insignia

The Badge

Created in 1905, the badge of Delta Sigma Phi is only worn by its members. After slight modifications, today’s fraternity pin is a gold and black diamond shaped pin decorated with a tiny reproduction of the pledge emblem, the Sphinx, and the letters of Delta Sigma Phi. It is worn over the heart on a shirt or sweater and beneath a coat, but never on a coat lapel. It is properly positioned with the upper apex slanting toward the left shoulder and the lower apex toward the right hip. Badge guards are available indicating a member’s chapter, executive office and/or leadership graduates

The Jeweled badge can only be worn alumni, wives or sweethearts, but never by an undergraduate. Wives, sweethearts or the uninitiated may never wear the standard fraternity badge.

The Pledge Pin

The pledge pin is circular with a white enameled background and a gold border. An equilateral triangle in green is placed so that the points touch the gold border and from the points to the center of the triangle are three gold lines.

Although initiated brothers do not wear the actual pledge pin after the initiation ceremony, the pledge emblem is appears on the fraternity badge to always remind brothers of their lifelong membership and pledge toward the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.

The Coat of Arms

The present coat-of-arms is the second symbol adopted by the Fraternity and was authorized at the 1921 Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was designed by Robert Ashley, Washington & Lee ‘07, who served the Fraternity as National President and Editor of The Carnation.

The coat-of-arms consists of a shield bearing a field of green. The upper portion of the shield is charged with three smaller shields bearing, from left to right, a lute, a knot, and lamp. The lower portion of the shield contains a pyramid. The central portion of the shield bears a silver chevron with a small shield displaying a book and the year "1899". On each side of the shield are mantlings of purple. Beneath the shield is a streamer bearing the words "Delta Sigma Phi" in Greek. At the crest of shield is the Sphinx. Affixed to the breast of the Sphinx, and outstretched over the shield, are scarabaeus wings.

Fraternity Colors

Nile Green Carnation White and Whit are the colors of the Delta Sigma Phi. These colors are depicted in most of our insignia, emblems, and jewelry. The Fraternity’s colors were adopted in 1905.

The Fraternity Flag

The first official flag of Delta Sigma Phi was adopted in 1926. The current form of the flag was adopted in 1950. It consists of a Nile green field with white features depicting the pledge emblem in the field and the Greek letters Delta Sigma Phi running diagonally, top to bottom, on the outer half.

The White Carnation

The flower of the Fraternity is the white carnation. Like our official colors, this flower has been used since 1905.

The Fraternity Seal

The seal of Delta Sigma Phi is one of the earliest emblems of the Fraternity. It appeared on charters and official documents prior to 1912.

The great seal of the Fraternity is a circle bearing a triangle. The triangle is divided into three smaller triangles in the same manner as the pledge emblem. Each of the three smaller triangles contains one of the emblems: the lamp, the lute, and the Gordian knot. Around the edge of the circle are the words "inc’pt Washington D.C. 1929." The circle bears the words "sigillum fraternitatis" which means "seal of the Fraternity," and the Greek-letters Delta Sigma Phi.

The Gordian Knot

The Gordian Knot, the Fraternity’s pledge manual, was first issued in October 1925. It was one of the first pledge manuals ever issued by a fraternity and was originally based on a booklet first produced by the Epsilon chapter at Penn State. The Gordian Knot is currently in its eighth edition.

The Lute

There are many other publications available from the Fraternity Headquarters. Some of the more important are The Pyramid which is the Fraternity’s chapter development guide, The Recruitment Chairman’s Guide, and The Chapter Financial Management Manual. Contact the Fraternity Headquarters for a listing of additional publications.