"Cyprus 1974" Wood Engraving, Refugee Fund, Republic of Cyprus

"Cyprus 1974" Wood Engraving, Refugee Fund, Republic of Cyprus

Postage stamps--Cyprus--History

Γραμματόσημα--Κύπρος--Ιστορία

This is the first refugee stamp which is not "Black on White" or "White on Black". (see the 1984 stamp). Its power of expression is noticeably reduced. The background colour has changed thus reducing its emotional intensity and the sensation that it provokes. It is known however that in ancient Greece the mourning colour was in fact white. It represented the colour of a dead person’s cheeks when blood no longer coloured them rosy. Even now we encounter this in the habit of the Russian and Vatican fathers who wear white in mourning for the death of Christ.
In later years the mourning colour in Greece changed to black, as death resembled more the night and darkness. For this reason Orthodox holy fathers wear black to this day. The urns, which in ancient times were proffered to the dead, had this dual colouring of white on black or black on white. This refugee stamp with its mourning colour as we have known it since 1974 and which has made us grieve, is now less mournful. Another stamp in black and white (for mourning) is that of 1980 for the International Palestinian Solitarity Day.

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Library of Cyprus University of Technology

Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology

12th September 1988

Designer: A. Tassos

Απαγορεύεται η δημοσίευση ή αναπαραγωγή, ηλεκτρονική ή άλλη χωρίς τη γραπτή συγκατάθεση του δημιουργού.

www.cypruspost.gov.cy

TIFF

EL, EN

Image

1988-REFUGEE-1C

35.160417, 33.346556

M.A. Moatsos, Athens