Silk banner painting is the craft of applying different techniques and paints or dyes to silk in order to produce a banner which can then be hung or held by upright by a stand. Examples of these include the Gonfalon, the Roman vexillum and other heraldic flags. While banners have long been used to depict family, religious or political affiliations, silk banners were not in use in Europe until the 12th century (though they made long before in Asia). Typically banners would have been mostly made by embroidery, appliqué, and tapestry.