Save The Nubian Monuments

Save the Nubian Monuments

In 1959, the construction work of Aswan dam in Egypt began. The old Pharaonic Nubian monuments were under threat from the rising water of the Nile. In 1960, UNESCO launched an international campaign to save the monuments. Rescue operation was begun, archaeological sites were surveyed and excavated and twenty four major monuments were moved to safer locations.

Many countries issued stamps supporting the UNESCO and international cooperation to save the Nubian monuments. Since many of the stamps show Egyptian Mythological figures, I have many of them in my Mythologies of the World stamp collection. In this thread I will share them.

Let's start with one of my favorites, a set of three stamps designed and engraved by ZIN, the Yugoslavian Institute for Manufacturing Banknotes and Coins, and issued by Morocco on July 15, 1963:

Statues of Ramses II, Abu Simbel:

goddess Isis, stone carving from Kalabsha Temple:

Temple of Philae:

Save the Monuments of Nubia, issued by Algeria on June 28, 1964:

Statues of Ramses II, designed and engraved by René Cottet:

Ramses II in the battle of Kadesh, design is based on a wall stone carving from a temple at Abu Simbel in Nubia:

Here are two FDCs,one from Monaco (1961) and one from Argentina (1963)

Thank you very much, Vayolene! The Argentinian postmark is great, I didn't know about it.

Here is another FDC from Nigeria issued on March 8, 1964, sent from Lagos to an Israeli worker in Ibadan. Arrival postmark applied on the back:

Bas-relief sculpture of the goddess Hathor, goddess of the sky, of women, and of fertility and love. Designed and engraved by Jacques Combet, and issued as semi postal stamps by Central African Republic on March 7, 1964:

The Kingdom of Laos issued on March 8, 1964 a set of similar design stamps and SS. The stamp shows (right) monument from Ramsess II temple in Abu Simbel and (left) Pha That Luang temple, Vientiane, Laos and the map of the Aswan dam area.

FDC issued by the Kingdom of Laos. The postmark issued in two different colors: Black and Red.

Ramses II fighting in his chariot at the battle of Kadesh (today in Syria) in 1274 BC, against the Hittite Empire, Stone carving at the Abu Simbel temple, engraved by Jacques Combet, and issued by France on September 4, 1976:

FDC from French Somali Coast,1964


FDC from Ivory Coast,1964

Thank you very much, Vayolene, for posting the FDC's. With time, I will post the stamps on them.

Isis is the goddess of life, motherhood, magic and fertility and a representation of the pharaoh's power. Isis is the daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, goddess of the Sky. She married her brother, Osiris, and she conceived Horus with him.

goddess Isis, issued by Egypt on October 24, 1964:

Stunning stamps. Thanks for sharing.

Philae Temple

The Temple of Isis was originally located in the island of Philae, which meant "the end" and marked the southernmost boundary of the historic Egypt. It was one of the temples dedicated to the cult of Isis, who was worshipped for bringing her husband Osiris back to life after he was murdered and dismembered by his brother Seth.

When the Aswan Dam was constructed in the 1960s, Philae Island and the temple were in danger. Thanks to the efforts of UNESCO and the Egyptian government, the Temple of Isis was painstakingly taken apart and rebuilt on higher ground, in its current location on Agilkia Island.

Here are two stamps, from Rgypt and France, show the temple of Philae:

Just for the 1964 Save the Nubia campaign, I was able to locate approximately 50 separate countries that issued perforated and imperforated stamps and Souvenir sheets. (Some countries issue more than one set or series of stamps). But I have had a tough time finding the related First Day covers. At last count, I have FDCs for 16 individual countries and I have identified a handful I am aware of their existence. But it is a long way from 50 countries. Does anyone know which countries dis issue FDCs in the 1964 period? Thanks

Kuwait
8th March 1964
UNESCO Campaign to Preserve Nubian Monuments




FDC listed in Michel

Qatar
17th January 1965
UNESCO Campaign to Preserve Nubian Monuments


set of six stamps issued, using three different images.
FDC listed in Michel (high catalogue value suggesting rare)