Syria - 1946 Stamp - Sun And Ears Of Wheat

In 1946, Syria issued a stamp designed with a central sun surrounded by ears of wheat. The stamp was issued in 4 denominations (each with its own color), which can be referenced as Scott # 315-318. Below I have attached a photo of the #318 stamp: 5 piastres in light blue green.

Does anyone know: (a) when specifically in 1946 were these stamps first issued? and (b) what do the sun and ears of wheat symbolize?

Re (a) - the French were forced to remove their troops from Syria in April 1946...if the stamps were issued at/after this time, the rising sun would make sense...a new day is dawning on the country

Re (b) - has this imagery appeared elsewhere in Syria prior to 1946? if so, then how did it first appear (in what context)? if not, who designed it for these stamps and why focus on wheat at this particular time?

Any thought or guidance appreciated - thank you!

Best,

David

The only specific, early date that SG gives for the stamps in this set is 31/1/1946 for some of the air-mail stamps. Designer was P Koroleff, lithographed at the Impremerie Catholique in Beirut. Koroleff designed the bulk of Lebanese and Syrian stamps for a long period after 1942.

Thank you!! Very helpful.

Mr Zuckerberg has his uses shock -

https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?s...51445&type=3

Geoff, good of you to find that page and share the link. Very nice. Shame about those wretched "like" icons. At least it's not a picture of somebody's dinner

Hi, Tim. The Zeenny book might be interesting, but relatively expensive for a "might"!

Geoff - thank you for sharing the link!! Very interesting.

The "ears of wheat" motif has occurred in the coats of arms/national symbols of a number of - mainly communist - countries, e.g. Soviet Union, East Germany and China.

It usually denotes the agricultural sector of a country's economy - the farming class, in socialist terms.

The President at the time - Shukri al-Quwatli (he appears on other stamps in this series), was in charge of a nationalist government, although there was a significant socialist opposition. The leftists gradually took control in the government during his presidency, and he formed ties with the Socialist bloc in the mid-50's, after the US denied his request for aid.

The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party did not take hold in Syria until the 1963 coup, well after this design was issued, but its founding date of 7 April 1947 shows it to be in existence shortly after the issue date.


Hope this makes some sense.

Phil
(not a socialist, but an Arabian Peninsula, icluding Syria, collector).

A friend in Syria has suggested a simpler explanation - it's widely believed that wheat was first cultivated in the area now including Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, some 17,000 years ago.