3940) National Archeological Discoveries, Greenland: Greenland Post has issued two EUROPA Stamps featuring a) Qilakitsoq an abandoned Inuit settlement (25 DKK) and b) The Kingittorsuaq rune stone (28 DKK): Date/Year of Stamps issue: 26.05.2025:
About EUROPA Stamps:
EUROPA Stamps are special stamps issued by European postal administrations.
They bear the official EUROPA logo, a PostEurop registered trademark under the aegis of PostEurop in which Europe is the central theme.
EUROPA stamp issues are among the most collected and most popular stamps in the world and have been issued for over 60 years.
Every year a new theme is assigned by PostEurop and all participating countries issue stamps with their own interpretation of the theme. The theme for 2025 is "National Archeological Discoveries".
More about EUROPA Postage Stamps:
EUROPA Postage stamps (also known as Europa - CEPT - European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations - until 1992) are special stamps issued by European Postal Administrations/Enterprises and bears the official EUROPA logo, a PostEurop registered trademark under the aegis of PostEurop in which Europe is the central theme.
EUROPA stamps underline cooperation in the posts domain, aimed at promotion of philately. They also build awareness of the common roots, culture and history of Europe and its common goals.
As such, EUROPA stamp issues are among the most collected and most popular stamps in the world.
Since the first issue in 1956, EUROPA stamps have been a tangible symbol of Europe's desire for closer integration and co-operation.
In 1993, PostEurop became responsible for issuing EUROPA stamps.
When CEPT decided to focus more on telecommunications in 1993, PostEurop took over the management of the Europa issues. The CEPT logo was replaced by a new logo created by PostEurop i.e. the word "EUROPA" leaning towards the right hand side.
Each year, PostEurop's "Stamps & Philately Group" selects the EUROPA stamp theme:
1993 - Contemporary Art
1994 - Great Discoveries
1995 - Peace and Freedom
1996 - Famous women
1997 - Tales and legends
1998 - Festivals and National Celebrations
1999 - Nature Reserves and Parks
2000 - Common Design. Tower of 6 stars
2001 - Water - Treasure of Nature
2002 - The Circus
2003 - Poster Art
2004 - Holidays
2005 - Gastronomy
2006 - Integration through the eyes of Young People
2007 - Scout Centenary
2008 - Writing Letters
2009 - Astronomy
2010 - Children Books
2011 - Forests - International Year of Forests
2012 - Visit …. (for instance "Visit Finland" etc.)
2013 - Van of the Postman - Postal vehicles
2014 - Musical instruments - National musical instruments
2015 - Old Toys
2016 - Ecology in Europe - "Think Green". Common Design
2017 - Castles
2018 - Bridges
2019 - National Birds
2020 - Ancient Postal Routes
2021 - Endangered National Wildlife
2022 - Stories & Myths.
2023 - PEACE – The highest value of humanity
2024 - Underwater fauna and flora
2025 - National Archaeological discoveries
2026 - Common design: 70th anniversary of EUROPA stamps
2027 - Street art
About EUROPA - National Archaeological Discoveries, Greenland: Greenland Post has issued two EUROPA Stamps featuring 1) Qilakitsoq an abandoned Inuit settlement (25 DKK) and The Kingittorsuaq rune stone (28 DKK):
Stamp 1 - Qilakitsoq is an abandoned Inuit settlement on the Nuussuaq Peninsula on the West coast of Greenland, about 450 km north of the Arctic Circle.
The settlement is renowned for the discovery of eight mummified bodies from the Thule culture in 1972.
The discovery was made by two local reindeer hunters, Hans and Jokum Grønvold.
In two graves were the mummies of six women and two boys. They comprise three generations with close familial links across the graves.
Although the causes of death are unknown, they probably died at the same time in the Autumn shortly after arriving at the Winter settlement.
They were wrapped in animal skins and fully clothed. They were equipped for a long journey to the underworld, carefully prepared according to ancient, traditional rites. They had extra skins and clothing to afford them a safe journey and a good life in the realm of the dead.
The five oldest women have almost identical facial tattoos that can express both kinship and social status. The youngest woman of about 20 years is not tattooed.
Perhaps she was either unmarried or childless. Tattoos have been in common use among Inuit women for thousands of years. There were amulets on and among their clothing.
The Inuit probably employed these amulets to muster strength and protection from evil spirits.
The mummies from Qilakitsoq have since afforded valuable insights into the life of the Inuit who lived in the area some 500 years ago.
The EUROPA Stamp of 25 DKK reproduces the most recognisable and most iconic of the eight mummies.
It is presumed to be a small boy of about six months. While the gender is based on the clothing, the age has been ascertained from the development of teeth and bones through radiographic examination.
Stamp 2 - The Kingittorsuaq rune stone was found in 1824 by a man called Pelimut.
The discovery was made on top of the mountain on the small island of Kingittorsuaq about 20 km north of Upernavik. At the highest point of the island, he saw three collapsed cairns placed in a triangle formation.
Near the largest of the cairns, he spotted a stone with several markings that he did not recognise.
The stone, which is known as the Kingittorsuaq Runestone, bears medieval rune inscriptions.
It is conclusive evidence that Norsemen in Greenland on their fishing trips along the West coast of Greenland reached as far North as North of the present-day town of Upernavik.
The stone, which currently resides in the National Museum in Copenhagen, has been dated to the Middle Ages between 1250 to 1333 AD.
The last part of the runic script remains undecipherable as it appears to be a group of meaningless characters. However, the first part of the writing on the runestone translated from Old Norse reads: “Erling, son of Sigvath and Baarne Thordar’s son and Enriði Á’s son, on Saturday before Rogation Day raised this stone and rode...”
The second EUROPA Stamp of 28 DKK
Both stamps are also issued in a booklet of 12 self-adhesive stamps (6x each stamp).
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Links:
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Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"Thanks for sharing this informative and interesting post."
Thank you so much Khanna sahab.
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