Bosnia and Herzegovina

Fossils, dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, Charles Darwin on stamps, and postmarks of Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Contents:
Bosnia and Herzegovina sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina, abbreviated BiH, and in short often known informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeastern Europe located on the Balkan Peninsula. Sarajevo is the capital and largest city. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west, and south; Serbia to the east; Montenegro to the southeast; and the Adriatic Sea to the south.
Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the country proclaimed independence in 1992, which was followed by the Bosnian War, lasting until late 1995.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a bicameral legislature and a three-member Presidency composed of a member of each major ethnic group. However, the central government's power is highly limited, as the country is largely decentralized and comprises two autonomous entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, with a third region, the Brchko District, governed under local government. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is itself complex and consists of 10 federal units – cantons. [R1]

Since 1993, all three regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina issue their own stamps. Stamps of each region are only available in the post offices of that region: [R2]
  • Bosnian Post Administration, inscribed "BH Posta" on their stamps.
    • The first, definitive, imperforate stamp of Bosnian Post Administration was issued in October 1993.
    • The first, commemorative stamps of Bosnian Post Administration were issued on February 8, 1994, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the XIV Olympic Games in Sarajevo.
  • Serbian Post Administration (Banija Luca), inscribed "ПОШТЕ СРПСКЕ" on their stamps.
    • The first series of stamps bearing the inscription "REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA" was issued on October 26, 1992. These stamps were overprints on definitive stamps of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
    • The first printed definitive stamps by the Serbian Post Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina was issued on January 11, 1993
    • The first commemorative stamps of the Serbian Post Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina put was issued on January 9, 1994
  • Croatian Post Administration (Mostar), inscribed "HP Mostar" on their stamps.
    • Hrvatska posta Mostar started operating in 1993 as part of the company Hrvatska posta i telekomunikacije - HPT
    • Since January 1, 2003 it has been operating as an independent postal administration - Hrvatska pošta doo Mostar.
    • The first stamp of Croatian Post Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina was issued on May 12, 1993.



Official stamps of Bosnia Herzegovina (BH Post) related to Paleontology: dinosaurs, fossils, Charles Darwin

22.03.2001 "Paleontological Finds in Bosnia and Herzegovina" 15.11.2007 "Dinosaur" 01.09.2008 "Fossil"
Paleontological Finds in Bosnia and Herzegovina on stamps from 2001 Stegosaurus on stamp of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2007 fossil shell Turritella turris from city of Tuzla on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008
10.09.2009 "200th anniversary of Charles Darwin"
Charles Darwin on stamp of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2009



Other stamps to consider of Bosnia Herzegovina (BH Post): fossil found places

12.05.2010 "Archeological treasure - Ravlica Cave" 10.09.2015 "Lascaux Cave, 75 Years of discovery"
Ravlica cave on stamp of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2010 Lascaux cave on stamp of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2015



Commemorative postmarks of Bosnia Herzegovina (BH Post) related to Paleontology: dinosaurs, fossils, Charles Darwin

Legend is here
22.03.2001 "Paleontological Finds in Bosnia and Herzegovina" [FDC] 15.11.2007 "Dinosaur" [FDC] 01.09.2008 "Fossil" [FDC]
Fossil on postmark of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2001 Sauropod dinosaur on postmark of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2007 Fossil on postmark of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008
10.09.2009 "200th anniversary of Charles Darwin" [FDC]
Charles Darwin on postmark of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2009



Official stamps of Bosnia Herzegovina (Republic of Srpska) related to Paleontology: dinosaurs, Charles Darwin

01.07.2008 "150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin" 13.03.2009 "Dinosaurs"
Charles Darwin on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008 Dinosaurs on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2009



Other stamps of Bosnia Herzegovina (Republic of Srpska) to consider

28.09.2004 "125th anniversary of Milutin Milankovitch" [SO1]
Milutin Milankovitch on stamp of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Srpska, 2004

Notes:

[SO1] Milutin Milankovitch (Dalj, May 28, 1879 – Belgrade, December 12, 1958), was a mathematician and climatologist, who showed how the Earth's surface temperature was sensitive to changes in the Earth's orbit and tied it to several orbital parameters - the tilt of the Earth's axis, the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit, and the precession of the Earth's axis. Each of these three parameters change over set frequencies - and geologists have used his model to look at paleoclimate through time.
Milankovitch's works on astronomical explanations of ice ages, especially his curve of insolation for the past 130,000 years, received support from the climatologist Wladimir Köppen and from the geophysicist Alfred Wegener. Köppen noted the usefulness of Milankovitch's theory for paleoclimatological researchers. Milankovitch received a letter on 22 September 1922 from Köppen, who asked him to expand his studies from 130,000 years to 600,000 years. [R3]



Commemorative postmarks of Bosnia Herzegovina (BH Srpska) related to Paleontology: dinosaurs, fossils, Charles Darwin

Legend is here
01.07.2008 "Charles Darwin" [FDC] 13.03.2009 "Dinosaurs" [FDC]
Charles Darwin on postmark of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008 Dinosaur on postmark of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2009



Some stamps of Bosnia Herzegovina (Mostar, Croatian Post Administration) to consider: fossil found places

25.06.2005 "World Environment Day: Vjetrenica Cave" [CO1]
Vjetrenica cave on stamp of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2005

Notes:

[CO1] Vjetrenica is the largest cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the most biodiverse cave in the world. It is part of the Dinaric Alps, which is known for its karstic and speleological features. The cave is located in the Popovo field in Ravno, East Herzegovina in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Several fossils were discovered in the cave, including hyenas and the most complete skeleton of "European Ice Age leopard" (Panthera pardus spelaea) Four leopard fossils were found in the cave. These are dated to the end of the Late Pleistocene, about 29,000–37,000 years ago.



References:


Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to Dr. Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, for reviewing the draft page and his very valuable comments.


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