Where and when did the notion of a "white flag" signalling surrender first appear in history? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

Where and when did the notion of a "white flag" signalling surrender first appear in history?

by Obi-fun-Kenobi

Was looking through the popular questions FAQ and was wondering if anyone could shed any light on this, cheers.

Searocksandtrees

hi! fyi you can get started on a some earlier threads

How/when did waving a white flag start symbolising the willingness to surrender?
How did 'waving the white flag' become the universal sign of surrender? Did it originate with a single culture and spread from there, or was it spontaneously adopted by multiple societies around the world?