the place where Paleontology and Paleoanthropology meets Philately
Namibia
Fossils, dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals on stamps and postmarks of Namibia
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Contents
- Country overview
- Philately at Namibia
- Commemorative cover of South-West Africa related to Paleontology
- Official stamps of Namibia related to Paleontology
- Commemorative postmarks of Namibia related to Paleontology
- References
Namibia, formerly known as South-West Africa and German South-West Africa, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa with population of 2.1 million people and a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy. Formerly the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia gained independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990. [R1]
The first postal services in Namibia (then known as South-West Africa) started in 1814 with the deployment of messengers facilitating communication between the early mission stations at Warmbad and Bethanie and later to Keetmanshoop and Gross Barmen. This service was expanded in 1846, connecting the South-West African mission stations to those in South Africa.
Namibia has issued regular definitive and commemorative stamps since independence. In 1989, the last stamps of South West Africa were a set of 15 depicting minerals and mining. Shortly before their issue in 1990, the territory gained independence as Namibia. As the stamps were new, most of the designs were kept with only the name changed [R2]
South West Africa
South Wet Africa issued no stamp that
related to Paleontology or Paleoanthropology science.The only philatelic item to mention is FDC of "ROCK FORMATIONS OF SOUTH WEST AFRICA" stamps set.
Four stamps of the set shows some geologic formation of the country.
Owing to South-West Africa's semi-arid to arid climate, this territory is endowed with excellent exposures of rock formations. Many of them have unusual and sometimes striking forms. To the geologist their variety is an important source of information that can be used to unravel the complex geological history of this country.
Illustration on the commemorative (FDC) cover shows a trunk of petrified wood.
"The broken-up remains of petrified tree trunks are found in the Petrified Forestwest of Khorixas in Damaraland. These fossil trees, which are at least 200 million years old, provide a rare record of primeval life forms that existed when Africa and South America were still linked up in a large single continent."
Official stamps of Namibia related to Paleontology: fossils, dinosaurs and prehistoric animals include Ediacara fauna
| 24.05.1995 "Fossils" | 27.09.1997 "The Ceratopsids - horn face Dinosaurs" | 08.08.2008 "Ediacaran fossils of Namibia" |
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[1] The Ediacaran biota is a taxonomic period classification that consists of all life forms that were present on Earth during the Ediacaran Period (ca. 635–542 Mya). These were composed of enigmatic tubular and frond-shaped, mostly sessile, organisms. Trace fossils of these organisms have been found worldwide, and represent the earliest known complex multicellular organisms. [R3]
There are only 2 stamp sets that shows some Ediacaran organisms issued to date(2020). Another one issued by Australian Post in 2005 .
Commemorative postmarks of Namibia related to Paleontology: prehistoric animals
| 27.09.1997 "The Ceratopsids - horn face Dinosaurs" [FDC] | 08.08.2008 "Ediacaran fossils of Namibia" [FDC] | |
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References:
[R1] More information about Namibia are on Wikipedia WikiTravel FlagCounter[R2] Some information about postal history of Namibia on Wikipedia
Links to Namibia post authority and stamps catalog websites are here
[R3] More about Ediacaran biota: Wikipedia
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