1238) Petra, Jordan : "Wonders of the Modern World Stamp Series" begun in 2015: A Stamp issued by Correos Post (Spanish Post) of the tariff value of "C" Class: Stamp issue date: 14.01.2020:
For the sixth consecutive year, Correos has issued a Premium Sheet on the "Wonders of the Modern World". In the previous issues, the themes have been Chichen Itza - Mexico, the Great Wall of China, Christ the Redeemer - Brazil, Taj Mahal- India and Machu Picchu - Peru.
This year the theme is the City of Petra, Jordan:
There are not many places in the world with the indelible visual impact, as the ancient city of Petra. Its thousand year old ruins and monumental aristocratic tombs carved into the rock, only accessible through narrow cliff paths, give a visitor a feeling of classic adventure fiction, with an unreal dream-like quality.
Petra (originally called "Raqmu" by the locals) is a historical and archaeological city in Southern Jordan, located around Jabal-Al-Madbah in a basin surrounded by mountains which form the Earsten flank of the Arabah valley which runs from the dead sea to the gulf of Aqaba.
Petra was inhabited around 7,000 BC as is evidenced through the remains of ancient settlements and the Nabateans settled here around the 4th Century BC.
Around 1200 BC, in the Iron Age, the Edomite people made this area their home and settled there.
Around the 2nd Century BC, the Nabateans, who were primarily a nomadic Bedouin tribe of Arabs, had made Petra their capital city, and invested heavily in Petra's proximity to the trade routes by establishing it as a major regional trading hub. Caravans bringing spices, silk, incense and other exotic products from the East would stop there to rest and take on provisions, before continuing their journey to Rome.
The trading business gained the Nabateans considerable revenue and Petra became the focus of their wealth. The Nabateans were accustomed to living in the barren deserts and now they developed skills in harvesting rain-water, agriculture and stone carving.
By the 1st Century AD, Petra flourished, and this was the time when its famous "Khazneh" structure - believed to be the mausoleum of Nabatean King Aretas IV - was constructed and its population numbered around 20,000 residents.
Although the Nabatean kingdom became a client state of the Roman Empire in the First Century BC, it was only in 106 AD that it lost its independence. Petra fell to the Romans, who annexed Nabataea and renamed it as Arabia Petraea. When the capital was absorbed into the Roman Empire, the city became even more splendid, as many of its most important buildings were constructed or remodelled, including the extraordinary Khazneh (or Treasury), which is shown on this stamp, the Deir or Monastery, the Theatre and the road lined with columns leading into the city.
Paradoxically, the Roman period also saw Petra's importance declining, as new land and sea-trade routes emerged which left the city isolated.
In the Byzantine era, several Christian churches were built, but the city continued to decline and by the early Islamic era, it was abandoned except for a handful of nomads.
In 363 AD, a series of violent earthquakes destroyed practically the whole city, and it was eventually abandoned and forgotten, only known to and fiercely defended by a handful of Bedouin tribes.
Access to the city is through a 1.20 kilometre long gorge called the "Siq", which leads directly to the "Khazneh". Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system, Petra is also referred to as the Rose city" because of the colour of the stone from which it is carved.
In 1812, the remains of the city were rediscovered.
In 2007, Al-Khazneh was voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World" and remains a symbol of Jordan and Jordan's most visited tourist attraction.
Since 1985, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. Adds the UNESCO book titled "Treasures of the World" in my personal library on Petra -
"Petra is one of the world's most famous and spectacular archaeological sites where ancient Egyptian traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture. Situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea and half-built and half-carved in the rok, Petra was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia.
Petra was first established around the sixth century BC by the Nabatean Arabs, a Semitic people, who laid the foundations of a commercial empire that extended into Syria.
In 106 AD, the Roman Emperor Trajan annexed the Nabatean Kingdom as part of the province of Arabia. The many earthquakes that hit Petra triggered a slow decline for the city, which was not halted by its designation as an archiepiscopal see. Muslim Arabs conquered the city in 636 AD, but it remained distant from the pilgrim road to Mecca.
The Crusaders constructed a fort there in the twelfth century and Petra returned to its ancient splendour, but soon they withdrew, leaving it to the local people until the early nineteenth century, when it was visited by the Swiss explorer Burckhardt.
Petra lies south of modern Amman on the edge of the mountainous desert of Wadi Araba, surrounded by towering hills of sandstone which gave the city some natural protection against invaders. It was for centuries, the meeting point of the main routes used by camel caravans transporting spices between the Mediterranean and the Near East, Africa and India.
The "Khazneh-el-Faroun" (or the Treasury of the Pharaoh) is one of Petra's most famous sights: an imposing façade some 40 m tall, carved into the mountain rock like a half-finished sculpture. The Khazneh is the only rock-cut building in Petra with no Nabatean element and links exclusively with the Alexandrian world and Hellenistic artistic traditions.
Behind the impressive façade a large square room has been carved out of the rock of the cliff. Typically for the tombs in Petra, its interior is as plain as its exterior is intricate.
North from the Khazaneh lies the massif of "Jebel Khubtha". Three large structures (Royal Tombs) are carved into the rock face, which is known as the King's Wall: The Urn Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the Palace Tomb (Silk Tomb) named for the extraordinary chromatic effect of the rock.
The main entrance to Petra is through the Siq, a gorge formed by the Musa, which the Nabateans blocked with a dam and channelled to carry drinking water to the city. the siq narrows to little more than 5 m in width, twisting and turning through sheer walls towering hundreds of metres on either side. The Khazneh or Treasury stands at the end of the gorge.
Petra has notable Roman relics, including its first century AD theatre - carved almost entirely in the rock, it could hold more than 8,000 spectators."
The Commemorative Postage Stamp:
The First Day Cover (FDC) is titled "Marvillas del Mundo moderno" - PETRA" (meaning "Marvels of the Modern World - Petra".
At right is affixed the stamp of "C" tariff value depicting the "Al-Khazaneh" (meaning "The Treasury of the Pharaohs"). In the background are rock cut structures in Petra.
The special Cancellation Handstamp/postmark depicts the Treasury of Petra and is dated - "14.01.2020".
The Correos , Spain Stamp titled "MARAVILLAS DEL MUNDO MODERNO - PETRA" (meaning - "Marvels/Wonders of the Modern World - PETRA").
The stamp depicts, at left, the Spanish Flag and, at right, the "Al-Khazaneh" (The "Treasury of the Pharaohs"). The stamp value is "C Tarifa" (meaning "C" value tariff).
This stamp is part of a series of stamps titled "Wonders of the Modern World", which began in 2015.
The Single Stamp CTO (Cancelled To Order)
The Full Sheet (FS) of 4 x 3 = 12 stamps with the Petra Treasury in the background.
The Post Card issued in the set.
An image of the Al-Khazanah rock cut entrance to the treasury of the Pharaohs.
The narrow entrance - "Siq".
The Great Temple of Petra
The Monastery
8) "The Firebird", Principality of Andorra (Principat d' Andorra), Spain: A 0.70 Euro postage Stamp dedicated to the Russian community in Andorra: Stamp issue date: 30.10.2019
9) "Nacional Museo del Prado", Spain: Celebrating the Bicentenary milestone (1819-2019): Commemorative Silver Coins of 30 Euros issued by Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre - Casa Real de la Moneda on 20.11.2019: Coins minted by the Madrid Mint
10) Machu Picchu: "Wonders of the Modern World". A 1.35 Euro Stamp brought out by Correos Post, (Spanish Post) on 15.09.2017
11) Petra, Jordan: "Wonders of the Modern World Stamp Series" begun in 2015: A Stamp issued by Correos Post (Spanish Post) of the tariff value of "C" Class: Stamp issue date: 14.01.2020
12) The New Silk Road: A Joint issue of a two stamp set of 1.50 Euros each by Spain (Correos Post) and China: Stamps issue date: 01.07.2019
For the sixth consecutive year, Correos has issued a Premium Sheet on the "Wonders of the Modern World". In the previous issues, the themes have been Chichen Itza - Mexico, the Great Wall of China, Christ the Redeemer - Brazil, Taj Mahal- India and Machu Picchu - Peru.
This year the theme is the City of Petra, Jordan:
There are not many places in the world with the indelible visual impact, as the ancient city of Petra. Its thousand year old ruins and monumental aristocratic tombs carved into the rock, only accessible through narrow cliff paths, give a visitor a feeling of classic adventure fiction, with an unreal dream-like quality.
Petra (originally called "Raqmu" by the locals) is a historical and archaeological city in Southern Jordan, located around Jabal-Al-Madbah in a basin surrounded by mountains which form the Earsten flank of the Arabah valley which runs from the dead sea to the gulf of Aqaba.
Petra was inhabited around 7,000 BC as is evidenced through the remains of ancient settlements and the Nabateans settled here around the 4th Century BC.
Around 1200 BC, in the Iron Age, the Edomite people made this area their home and settled there.
Around the 2nd Century BC, the Nabateans, who were primarily a nomadic Bedouin tribe of Arabs, had made Petra their capital city, and invested heavily in Petra's proximity to the trade routes by establishing it as a major regional trading hub. Caravans bringing spices, silk, incense and other exotic products from the East would stop there to rest and take on provisions, before continuing their journey to Rome.
The trading business gained the Nabateans considerable revenue and Petra became the focus of their wealth. The Nabateans were accustomed to living in the barren deserts and now they developed skills in harvesting rain-water, agriculture and stone carving.
By the 1st Century AD, Petra flourished, and this was the time when its famous "Khazneh" structure - believed to be the mausoleum of Nabatean King Aretas IV - was constructed and its population numbered around 20,000 residents.
Although the Nabatean kingdom became a client state of the Roman Empire in the First Century BC, it was only in 106 AD that it lost its independence. Petra fell to the Romans, who annexed Nabataea and renamed it as Arabia Petraea. When the capital was absorbed into the Roman Empire, the city became even more splendid, as many of its most important buildings were constructed or remodelled, including the extraordinary Khazneh (or Treasury), which is shown on this stamp, the Deir or Monastery, the Theatre and the road lined with columns leading into the city.
Paradoxically, the Roman period also saw Petra's importance declining, as new land and sea-trade routes emerged which left the city isolated.
In the Byzantine era, several Christian churches were built, but the city continued to decline and by the early Islamic era, it was abandoned except for a handful of nomads.
In 363 AD, a series of violent earthquakes destroyed practically the whole city, and it was eventually abandoned and forgotten, only known to and fiercely defended by a handful of Bedouin tribes.
Access to the city is through a 1.20 kilometre long gorge called the "Siq", which leads directly to the "Khazneh". Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system, Petra is also referred to as the Rose city" because of the colour of the stone from which it is carved.
In 1812, the remains of the city were rediscovered.
In 2007, Al-Khazneh was voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World" and remains a symbol of Jordan and Jordan's most visited tourist attraction.
Since 1985, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. Adds the UNESCO book titled "Treasures of the World" in my personal library on Petra -
"Petra is one of the world's most famous and spectacular archaeological sites where ancient Egyptian traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture. Situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea and half-built and half-carved in the rok, Petra was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia.
Petra was first established around the sixth century BC by the Nabatean Arabs, a Semitic people, who laid the foundations of a commercial empire that extended into Syria.
In 106 AD, the Roman Emperor Trajan annexed the Nabatean Kingdom as part of the province of Arabia. The many earthquakes that hit Petra triggered a slow decline for the city, which was not halted by its designation as an archiepiscopal see. Muslim Arabs conquered the city in 636 AD, but it remained distant from the pilgrim road to Mecca.
The Crusaders constructed a fort there in the twelfth century and Petra returned to its ancient splendour, but soon they withdrew, leaving it to the local people until the early nineteenth century, when it was visited by the Swiss explorer Burckhardt.
Petra lies south of modern Amman on the edge of the mountainous desert of Wadi Araba, surrounded by towering hills of sandstone which gave the city some natural protection against invaders. It was for centuries, the meeting point of the main routes used by camel caravans transporting spices between the Mediterranean and the Near East, Africa and India.
The "Khazneh-el-Faroun" (or the Treasury of the Pharaoh) is one of Petra's most famous sights: an imposing façade some 40 m tall, carved into the mountain rock like a half-finished sculpture. The Khazneh is the only rock-cut building in Petra with no Nabatean element and links exclusively with the Alexandrian world and Hellenistic artistic traditions.
Behind the impressive façade a large square room has been carved out of the rock of the cliff. Typically for the tombs in Petra, its interior is as plain as its exterior is intricate.
North from the Khazaneh lies the massif of "Jebel Khubtha". Three large structures (Royal Tombs) are carved into the rock face, which is known as the King's Wall: The Urn Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the Palace Tomb (Silk Tomb) named for the extraordinary chromatic effect of the rock.
The main entrance to Petra is through the Siq, a gorge formed by the Musa, which the Nabateans blocked with a dam and channelled to carry drinking water to the city. the siq narrows to little more than 5 m in width, twisting and turning through sheer walls towering hundreds of metres on either side. The Khazneh or Treasury stands at the end of the gorge.
Petra has notable Roman relics, including its first century AD theatre - carved almost entirely in the rock, it could hold more than 8,000 spectators."
The Commemorative Postage Stamp:
At right is affixed the stamp of "C" tariff value depicting the "Al-Khazaneh" (meaning "The Treasury of the Pharaohs"). In the background are rock cut structures in Petra.
The special Cancellation Handstamp/postmark depicts the Treasury of Petra and is dated - "14.01.2020".
The stamp depicts, at left, the Spanish Flag and, at right, the "Al-Khazaneh" (The "Treasury of the Pharaohs"). The stamp value is "C Tarifa" (meaning "C" value tariff).
This stamp is part of a series of stamps titled "Wonders of the Modern World", which began in 2015.
Interesting links to posts on Spanish Coins and postage stamps on this blog:
8) "The Firebird", Principality of Andorra (Principat d' Andorra), Spain: A 0.70 Euro postage Stamp dedicated to the Russian community in Andorra: Stamp issue date: 30.10.2019
9) "Nacional Museo del Prado", Spain: Celebrating the Bicentenary milestone (1819-2019): Commemorative Silver Coins of 30 Euros issued by Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre - Casa Real de la Moneda on 20.11.2019: Coins minted by the Madrid Mint
10) Machu Picchu: "Wonders of the Modern World". A 1.35 Euro Stamp brought out by Correos Post, (Spanish Post) on 15.09.2017
11) Petra, Jordan: "Wonders of the Modern World Stamp Series" begun in 2015: A Stamp issued by Correos Post (Spanish Post) of the tariff value of "C" Class: Stamp issue date: 14.01.2020
12) The New Silk Road: A Joint issue of a two stamp set of 1.50 Euros each by Spain (Correos Post) and China: Stamps issue date: 01.07.2019
For more interesting posts on Coins and stamps of Portugal, please visit the following links:
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"Excellent Post."
Thank you so much, Khanna sahab.
DeleteVinod Khurana has commented:
ReplyDelete"Very informative article."
Thank you so much, Vinodji.
Delete