Hungary 1993 "Finds of prehistoric Settlements"

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Issue Date 27.10.1993
ID Michel: 4266-4267, Scott: 3410-3411, Stanley Gibbons: 4163-4164, Yvert et Tellier: 3433-3434, Category: An
Design Kertesz Danel
Stamps in set 2
Value 17 F., Homo erectus skull roof and reconstruction, BC 350 000, found at Vertesszolos
30 F., Stone tool, Cro Magnon reconstruction, cave Szeleta BC 40 000 is shown
Emission/Type commemorative
Issue places Budapest
Size (width x height) 28mm x 40mm
Layout
Products FDC x 1
Paper no watermark
Perforation 13.25 x 13
Print Technique Offset lithography
Printed by State Printing Works (ANY Biztonsági Nyomda Nyrt), Budapest
Quantity 700.000 sets
Issuing Authority Magyar Post
Prehistoric humans on stamps of Hungary 1993

On October 27th, 1993, the Post Authority of Hungary issued a set of two stamps dedicated to some artifacts of prehistoric humans found in the country.

Samu prehistoric man on stamp of Hungary 1993
The stamp of 17 F depicting reconstruction of Homo erectus (Samu) and skull roof found at Vertesszolos, Hungary.
Hungarian National Museum on stamp from 1954
Hungarian National Museum, Hungary 1954, MiNr.: 1384, Scott: 1085. It is a prt of set of 3 values "5 years of Constitution".
"Samu" is the nickname given to a prehistoric man whose remains were found in 1965 near Vertesszolos, Hungary.
He was a late Homo erectus, somewhere between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens. Only a part of the occipital bone was found. He lived about 350,000 years ago.
The archaeological site was discovered by Marton Pecsi in 1962; the occipital bone was found three years later during a dig led by Laszlo Vertes.
Since it was found on August 21, the name day of Samuel, it was named Samu (Hungarian version of Sam). Two child teeth were also found. Samu was able to use stone tools and fire.
Replica of the remains can be viewed in the local Vertesszolos Museum. Original fossils are on show in the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest.

Cro Magnon on stamp of Hungary 1993
The stamp of 30 F depicting reconstruction of prehistoric man, probably Cro Magnon and stone tool found at cave Szeleta, Hungary.
In the hillside above Miskolc-Felsohamor, the Seleta Cave was explored by Ottokar Kadic between 1907 and 1913 at the instigation of Otto Herman who launched research into prehistoric man in Hungary.
In the cave entrance not only were many cave bear bones found but even traces of a fireplace. As the excavations continued fragments of pots and Neolithic stone tools came to light, while the earlier layers hid a total of 40 Paleolithic stone tools.
Today under strict protection, the cave evolved through the dissolving effect of a once plentiful karst spring that has since dried out. The passages are over 90 metres long in all. The cave is a temporary and permanent home to numerous endangered animal species, including both protected and strictly protected bat species. The protected cave is not developed. It can be visited at any time.



Products

FDC Mini Sheet
FDC with Finds of prehistoric settlemens stamps of Hungary 1993 Circulated letter with Finds of prehistoric settlemens stamps of Hungary 1993



References

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Acknowledgements:

Many thanks to Dr. Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, for the draft page review.


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