Great Seal of Arkansas

{{short description|Official government emblem of the U.S. state of Arkansas}}

{{Infobox emblem

|name = The Great Seal of Arkansas

|image = Seal of Arkansas.svg

|image_width = 220

|image2 = Arkansas state coat of arms (illustrated, 1876).jpg

|image2_width = 250

|image2_caption = Historical coat of arms

|armiger = State of Arkansas

|year_adopted = {{Start date and age|1864|05|03}} (modifications made in {{End date|1907}})

|earlier_versions = 1820–1836, the Arkansas Territory; 1836–1864, the State of Arkansas; 1864–1865, Arkansas government in exile at Washington, Arkansas

|motto = {{langx|la|Regnat populus|lit=The people rule}}

}}

The Great Seal of Arkansas is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the Government of Arkansas. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself, which is kept by the governor, and more generally for the design impressed upon it. The seal was modified to its present form on May 23, 1907.

== Design ==

Title 1 of the Arkansas Code specifies that the seal “shall present the following impressions, devices and emblems, to wit: An eagle at the bottom, holding a scroll in its beak, inscribed ‘Regnat populus,’ a bundle of arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other; a shield covering the breast of the eagle, engraved with a steamboat at top, a beehive and plow in the middle, and sheaf of wheat at the bottom; the Goddess of Liberty at the top, holding a wreath in her right hand, a pole in the left hand, surmounted by a liberty cap, and surrounded by a circle of stars outside of which is a circle of rays; the figure of an angel on the left, inscribed ‘Mercy,’ and a sword on the right hand, inscribed ‘Justice,’ surrounded with the words ‘Seal of the State of Arkansas.’ ”{{cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/2015/title-1/chapter-4/section-1-4-108/ |title=AR Code § 1-4-108 (2017) |website=Justia.com |access-date=August 27, 2019}}

== History ==

The present seal was established pursuant to an Act of Assembly passed on May 23, 1907. It amended the act of May 3, 1864, by correcting the wording of the Latin motto from Regnant populi to Regnat populus.{{Source-attribution|{{cite book |last=Shankle |first=George Earlie |date=March 1938 |orig-year=1st pub. March 1934 |title=State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.167851 |edition=Revised |location=New York |publisher=H. W. Wilson Company |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.167851/page/n185 183] |via=Internet Archive}}}}