Cyprus 1955 definitives
Collecting the long pictorial definitive sets released by the once numerous British colonies has always been popular, writes Christer Brunström, as he takes a look at recent offerings for Cyprus definitives of the 1950s
Many enjoy researching the designs as they generally provide us with details about the geography, culture or economic activities of the territory. Many collectors focus on the engraved sets and one of the most attractive examples was released by Cyprus in 1955. The set comprises 15 different denominations and 15 different designs. It is extremely attractive and printed in strong colours. The common denominator is the portrait of a rather young Queen Elizabeth II.
A short recap of the history of Cyprus will certainly be of interest in order to fully appreciate some of the designs. Archaeological finds indicate that the first people lived on Cyprus some 10,000 years B.C. It is believed that they survived on hunting and collecting whatever could be eaten.
The first Greeks migrated to Cyprus in 1200 BC, bringing with them their language and culture. For many years the island was part of the Assyrian, Egyptian and Persian empires and in that order. The Romans conquered the island in 58 BC and they built numerous important buildings. From 395 until 1193 it was part of Byzantium. Then followed a Latin Kingdom (also known as the Lusignan Kingdom) for some 300 years when Cyprus was ruled by Frenchspeaking aristocrats.
In 1489 the Venetians took control of the island and they were replaced by the Turks in 1571. In 1878 the British government took control of the island following an agreement with the Ottoman government. One of the clauses in this agreement specified that Cyprus must not be unified with Greece.
The 1955 set had a rather short life as Cyprus became an independent republic in 1960. The entire set was overprinted ‘Cyprus Republic’ in Greek and Turkish and the stamps continued to be used until a new set of definitive stamps was released on 17 September 1962. Thus they publicised the delights of the Mediterranean island nation for some seven years.
It is also interesting to note that this set was the first one issued after
a monetary reform. From now on a pound was divided into 1000 mils.
2 mils
The three lowest values in our set feature fruits grown in Cyprus. Many of us will be rather puzzled by the ‘carobs’ depicted since they only grow in the Eastern Mediterranean. The carob is a flowering evergreen tree or bush producing edible fruit pods which are mainly used as animal feed but in powdered form it can also be used as an ingredient baking cakes or cookies. It has been compared with chocolate. Cyprus is the world’s sixth-largest producer of carobs.
3 mils
Cyprus has a very long history as a wine-producing country stretching over 6,000 years. Thus the choice of grapes on the 3 mils value comes as no surprise. Cyprus is a small country but it still manages to occupy the 50th position among all the wine-producing nations of the world. The most famous grape is called Mavro, which is Greek for black. This grape has a rather dark colour. It is used to produce a wine called Commandaria.
5 mils
Oranges are depicted on the 5 mils value. Oranges and other citrus fruits are mainly produced in the northern part of the island.
10 mils
The 10 mils stamp takes us down the mining shafts of the Mavrovouni Copper Pyrites Mines located near the town of Lefka on the Bay of Morphou. This was an old mine which had been reopened in 1946. The mining operations have now been abandoned. Cyprus has a long history of mining including copper.
15 mils
The 15 mils stamp shows a view of Troodos Forest located on the Western side of the island. The Troodos National Park is centred around Mount Olympus. It is the largest mountain chain in Cyprus and it is famous for its many Byzantine monasteries and churches. In winter Mount Olympus is also a ski resort, which might surprise some readers.
20 mils
Some 20 kilometres east of the city of Paphos we find the Beach of Aphrodite, which is a favourite with many visitors to Cyprus. According to legend, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love in Greek mythology, emerged from the sea foam on this particular beach in the south-western corner of the island.
As the 20 mils stamp shows, the birthplace of Aphrodite (or Venus in Roman mythology) is a beach with a number of very large rocks.
There is more than one version of the birth of Aphrodite. The one referred to above was written by Hesiod. Homer writes that she was the child of Zeus and Dione. The Greek word ‘aphros’ translates as foam in English, which suggests Hesiod’s version. She was married to Hephaestus, the God of Blacksmiths, and the couple had a son, Eros.
In works of art Aphrodite is often depicted with symbols such as doves, swans, seashells and myrtles. She is associated with spring and in art she is frequently represented as perfection of female beauty.
25 mils
A coin minted in the 5th century BC in Paphos is depicted on the 25 mils stamp. The coin depicts a bird. Old Paphos was located on a hill at a certain distance from its present location. It was the centre of the Aphrodite cult. According to Greek legends, the city was founded by Agapenor when he returned from the Trojan War and he is also supposed to be responsible for the building of the Temple of Aphrodite.
30 mils
Kyrenia is a seaport on the north of Cyprus. It is featured on the 30 mils value. Kyrenia is famous for its historic harbour and an ancient castle. Like so much else in this part of the world Kyrenia has a very old history, having been founded circa 1300 BC by returnees from the Trojan War. The castle dates back to the first century AD.
Thanks to the area’s mild climate Kyrenia developed into one of the more popular tourist destinations during the British era. Hotels were built and many Brits moved there.
35 mils
The 35 mils value actually show people engaged in harvesting in Mesaoria which is a plain located in the north central part of Cyprus. On a detailed map of the island this stretch of land can be found tucked in between the Kyrenia Mountains to the north and the Troodos Mountains to the south. This is the flat agricultural heartland of Cyprus which requires irrigation to produce harvests. The word Mesaoria is of Greek origin and it translates as ‘Between the mountains’.
40 mils
The city of Famagusta was probably founded in 274 BC. At first it was nothing more than a small fishing village. During the Venetian period it became a most important port trading
with the many port towns of the Levant area. Famagusta has the deepest harbour in Cyprus and the British spent a lot of money developing it. Towards the end of the British administration Famagusta was turned into a major tourist attraction with its old walled city. The 40 mils value shows Famagusta Harbour.
Famagusta had a mainly Greekspeaking population when the city was bombed by the Turkish Air Force in 1974. Many civilians and even tourists were killed. The entire Greek-cypriot population had to flee. Today Famagusta has a population of some 55,000 but the Greek Cypriots have not been allowed to return to their former homes.
50 mils
The Saint Hilarion Castle is located in the Kyrenia mountain range on the north coast of Cyprus. There are actually two saints having the same name but the Hilarion referred to on the 50 mils stamps has a pretty obscure background. It is believed that he fled from the Holy Land when it was conquered by the Arabs. He came to Cyprus and a small hilltop building was built as a hermitage for him. This building was later enlarged and fortified on several occasions.
100 mils
The 100 mils value shows the Hara Sultan Tekke site located on the shores of the Larnaca Salt Lake in the southeast of Cyprus. It is a large complex including a mosque, a minaret, a mausoleum and a cemetery. It is a holy site for Turkish Cypriot Muslims.
British archaeologists initiated excavations of the site in the 1890s. In more recent times Swedish archaeologists have continued these excavations.
250 mils
The 250 mils stamp shows a view of Kanakaria Church located in Lythrangomi Village in Famagusta
District in the east of the island. Once a Byzantine Basilica with origins going back to the 5th century AD, the church has undergone numerous changes over the years.
Following the Turkish occupation of the area a number of mosaics were stolen from the church. Some were later sold to collectors in the United States but they have later been returned to Cyprus.
500 mils
H.M. Queen Elizabeth II features prominently on the 500 mils stamp. She is surrounded by four coins minted in the ancient city-states of Salamis, Paphos, Citium and Idalium.
Salamis is an ancient Greek city-state located on the east coast of Cyprus just north of today’s Famagusta. It is supposed to have been found by the son of the king of Salamis (an island in Greece). At the conclusion of the Trojan War he was unable to return to his home and instead founded his own city kingdom in Cyprus. The first coins were minted in the 6th century BC.
Paphos was another ancient state where coins were minted. It is discussed elsewhere in this article. Citium is the Latin version of Kition located near today’s Larnaca. It was one of twelve city-states or city kingdoms making up Cyprus. Citium was founded by the Phoenicians and then taken over by the Greeks.
Idalium (Idalion in Greek) was yet another small kingdom located in today’s Nicosia district. It prospered thanks to the copper trade. Many of these ancient sites have been excavated and researched by teams of Swedish archaeologists.
It is interesting to ponder on the fact that it is possible to assemble collections of coins minted more than 2,500 years ago.
£1
The top value in the set features an interesting design featuring the arms of Byzantium, the Lusignan Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire and Venice. They all represent powers which have ruled the island for centuries putting their mark on the island’s long history.
As stated earlier, this interesting set had a short life as it was issued just a few years before Cyprus became an independent republic. But it was widely used and they were basically the only stamps available for postage at the time. Thus there is an ample supply of used stamps and the lower values can often be found on cover.
Sadly the Greek and Turkish Cypriots were unable to reach an agreement on the island’s future and it resulted in a Turkish military invasion in 1974 and the subsequent creation of the Turkish Republic in Northern Cyprus. Only Turkey has recognised this new state; all attempts to solve the situation have so far failed completely.
When checking various internet auctions we found numerous offers of this set in all conditions.