Foreword: Ethiopia is a country in eastern Africa, stamps play an important role in the history and culture of this country, and the history and development of Ethiopian stamps, including the design, issuance and collection of stamps, needs to be discussed.
01
History and culture
Ethiopia is a country full of history and culture, but also one of the important countries in Africa, Ethiopian stamps are not only a postage certificate, but also an important carrier to record the history and culture of the country.
Ethiopia's postal service dates back to 1894, when Italian colonists set up a post office in Eritrea, Ethiopia.
In 1908, Ethiopia began to establish its own postal system, the initial post office was located in the capital Addis Ababa, and in the following decades, the Ethiopian postal system has been continuously developed and improved. At the same time, stamps have become an important symbol of the country.
THE EARLIEST ETHIAN STAMPS WERE ISSUED BY ITALIAN COLONISTS IN 1894 AND THESE STAMPS BORE THE WORD "ERITREA". It was not until 1903 that the first stamps bearing the word "ETHIOPIA" began to be issued in Ethiopia.
Printed by French stamp manufacturers and officially used in Ethiopia in 1908, these stamps bear the national emblem of Ethiopia and the portrait of the king, and these stamps are designed and produced to such a high quality that they have become the object of postage stamp collectors' collection.
In the 30s of the 20th century, the Ethiopian government began to produce stamps in its own country, and most of these stamps were designed using traditional Ethiopian art and cultural elements, such as carving, hand weaving, tattoos and so on. These stamps are not only a postage certificate, but also an important representative of Ethiopian culture.
In Ethiopia's history, there are many important events that have been recorded on stamps. For example, in 1963 Ethiopia issued a set of stamps to commemorate the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), an organization established by African countries to jointly resist colonialism.
Similarly, in 1991, Ethiopia issued a set of stamps to celebrate the victory of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) in the civil war, which marked the beginning of the trend of Ethiopian stamp design in the 20th century from traditional to modern themes.
The most famous of these is the stamp "Common Market of Afrika" issued in 1962, which represents the commitment of the Ethiopian government to the African Union. Stamp designs from this period were also more artistic and innovative, sometimes including more patterns and colors.
In modern times, the design trend of Ethiopian stamps is to combine traditional culture and modern elements. For example, a set of stamps issued in 2019 commemorating the development of agriculture shows both traditional farmers and modern machinery, presenting a modern agricultural image. This innovative design makes the Ethiopian stamp not just a postage certificate, but also a cultural and artistic expression.
In general, the history and development of Ethiopian stamps reflect the history and culture of the country, as well as the changes and developments in the country politically, socially and economically. From traditional themes to modern elements to a combination of traditional culture and modern elements, the design of Ethiopian stamps also reflects the country's history and cultural evolution. With the continuous advancement of technology and innovation in stamp design, Ethiopian stamps will continue to showcase the country's culture and art, while also contributing to the country's image and status internationally.
02
Development and evolution
Stamps are an important part of a country's culture and history, and their development and evolution are inseparable from the development and evolution of the country.
Ethiopia's first stamps were issued in 1894, when Ethiopia was still an independent country. This set of stamps was printed by an Italian company with the head and flag of Emperor Menelik II. After this, Ethiopia began to issue its own stamps, and the design and printing of these stamps gradually matured.
For example, a set of stamps issued in 1965 featured the heads of Ethiopian national heroes, including Haile Selassie, Abebe Abba, Tewodros Gobuye and Mingestu Haylu Mariam.
These figures have all made important contributions to Ethiopia at different historical times. In addition, there are stamps themed on Ethiopian national culture, such as those with traditional clothing, musical instruments and architecture.
In Ethiopia's stamp production, foreign companies were initially responsible, such as the Italian, British and French stamp companies. However, Ethiopia established its own stamp printing plant in 1961, known as the National Stamp Company. Since then, Ethiopian stamp printing and design has been done domestically, which has brought new opportunities for the development and evolution of Ethiopian stamps.
In recent years, there have also been some new developments and changes in the design and printing of Ethiopian stamps. For example, a set of stamps issued in 2006 featured two different languages, Amharic and Tigre, as well as two different languages, Tamarhara and Afar, demonstrating Ethiopia's cultural diversity.
In addition, with the efforts of the Ethiopian Postal Administration, Ethiopian stamps also began to use new technologies, such as thermal printing, fluorescent printing and optical chromic printing, which in the early 20th century, with the colonial expansion of European powers, Ethiopia became one of the last remaining independent countries in the African region.
At this time, the postal system in Ethiopia had not yet been established, but with the development and modernization of the country, the postal system was gradually developed, and the development of Ethiopian stamps also began.
03
Origin of stamps
Ethiopia's first stamp was issued by the Italian government in Addis Ababa in 1894 in the Kingdom of Ethiopia under Italian oppression, and this stamp was a red circular pattern with the inscription "Posta Italiana in A.O.I." (Italy East Africa Post) with "10 Cent." Words.
The stamp did not use the name or emblem of Ethiopia and was not issued in Ethiopian territory at the time.
It was not until 1903 that Ethiopia began issuing its own stamps, the first of which was a red rectangular pattern with the words "ETHEL ETIOPA" (Kingdom of Ethiopia), "POSTES ETHIOPIENNES" (Ethiopian Post) and a face value of "1 Gersh" (the currency unit of the time) below.
Instead of using national symbols such as the national flag and coat of arms, this stamp uses the Ethiopian word for "tattoo".
Over time, the designs of Ethiopian stamps have gradually diversified. Since 1931, Ethiopian stamps have used the Ethiopian coat of arms as a pattern. THE STAMP IS AN OVAL PATTERN WITH THE WORDS "ETHEL ETIOPA" AND THE COAT OF ARMS PRINTED ON IT, AND THE WORDS "POSTES ETHIOPIENNES" BELOW AND THE FACE VALUE.
Since then, Ethiopian stamps have begun to use national flora and fauna, history and culture and other elements, such as stamps printed with national animal wolves, lions and other patterns, and stamps printed with national ancient buildings, folk culture and other patterns.
In 1955, Ethiopian stamps began to use a complete national flag design, which was the first time in the history of Ethiopian stamps that a complete national flag was printed.
However, with the political and economic changes in Ethiopia, the circulation and types of stamps have also changed. During the political turmoil in Ethiopia in 1991, stamp production decreased considerably.
In addition, in the 90s of the 20th century, the popularity of international stamp collections also declined, which led to a decrease in the circulation of Ethiopian stamps.
Nevertheless, Ethiopian stamps are of high cultural and historical value. Ethiopian stamps are an important part of the country's culture and history, reflecting the country's political, economic, social and cultural evolution.
The development and evolution of Ethiopian stamps reflects the political, economic and social changes in the country, as well as the evolution of the country's culture and history. Despite the decrease in the production of stamps in some periods, Ethiopian stamps still have high cultural and historical value and are important for understanding and studying the culture, history and politics of the country.
04
A unique cultural art form
Ethiopian stamps are a unique form of cultural art, and its design style and craftsmanship reflect the diversity and complexity of Ethiopian culture and history.
The design and production of stamps involves many professional skills and knowledge, such as graphic design, photography, printing, etc., and their design styles and skills are very diverse, covering a variety of styles and themes from traditional to modern.
These designers usually work as consultants or temporary designers at the Ethiopian General Post Office or other government agencies, or as independent designers or design teams.
Ethiopian stamps are often designed with themes related to Ethiopian culture, history, people, architecture, animals, plants, and more. For example, a set of stamps issued in 2019 showcases Ethiopia's traditional clothing and jewelry, reflecting the country's diverse culture and traditions.
A set of stamps issued in 2018 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Ethiopian protest movement. These design themes reflect not only Ethiopia's history and culture, but also the country's concerns about social and political issues.
The process of making Ethiopian stamps includes the process of design, printing, slitting and issuance. The design of a stamp is usually done by a designer or design team, which is then reviewed and approved by the General Post Office or other government agencies.
The printing process includes the conversion of the design into a printed document, the production of the printing plate, the printing, the coating of the protective layer, and drying. In this process, printing houses usually use modern printing technology and equipment.
05
Production process
In Ethiopia, the stamp making process has undergone many stages of evolution, the early stamp making is handmade, until the 60s of the 20th century, Ethiopia began to use printing presses for stamp production, with the advancement of technology, the stamp production process has also been continuously improved and improved.
First of all, the designer will make creative ideas based on the theme or commemorative event, and complete the sketch design of the stamp. After determining the design scheme, the production workers will make the stamp pattern into a rubber stamp or letterpress, and then print it through the printing machine, in the printing process, the workers need to control the printing pressure and color balance to ensure that the stamp printing quality meets the standard.
In addition, the production of stamps also requires special materials and processes, and when printing, high-quality printing paper is required to ensure the quality and fidelity of the stamps.
The backing paper of stamps needs to be treated with anti-counterfeiting to prevent forgery and counterfeiting, and at the same time, it is also necessary to carry out post-processing processes such as cutting, bronzing and embossing to make the stamps more artistic and collectible.
In general, the production process of Ethiopian stamps has undergone an evolution from handmade to modern printing presses, continuously improving the quality of printing and the collection value of stamps, and through continuous improvement and enhancement of production technology, Ethiopian stamps can be better inherited and carried forward.
Their designs are inspired by various aspects of Ethiopia, such as people's life, cultural traditions, natural scenery, etc. Through design, they integrate Ethiopian culture, history and people's life into the stamp, thereby making the stamp more artistically valuable and culturally significant.
In addition to technical and handmade skills in the design phase, printing is also a crucial step. Ethiopian stamps usually use gravure printing techniques, which can produce very delicate images and fonts.
Gravure printing is a printing technique that utilizes a concave pattern to transfer ink onto a printed material and then emboss the pattern onto paper. Gravure printing can produce detailed lines and patterns, so it is widely used in the production of stamps and currency.
The printing of Ethiopian stamps is usually carried out in local stamp factories, the most famous of which is the Lucato Stamps. The stamp factory is an Ethiopian state-owned enterprise established in 1952 to provide services for stamp manufacturing in Ethiopia and other countries. The factory uses modern gravure printing equipment and employs an experienced printing technician.
In addition, Ethiopia has deployed other printing plants in the country to ensure its stamp and currency production capacity. These printing houses use advanced printing equipment and technology to continuously innovate and evolve to support the production of Ethiopian stamps.
In the process of making Ethiopian stamps, printing is a crucial step, in addition to technical and handmade skills at the design stage. Ethiopian stamps usually use gravure printing techniques, which can produce very delicate images and fonts.
Gravure printing is a printing technique that utilizes a concave pattern to transfer ink onto a printed material and then emboss the pattern onto paper. Gravure printing can produce detailed lines and patterns, so it is widely used in the production of stamps and currency.
The printing of Ethiopian stamps is usually carried out in local stamp factories, the most famous of which is the Lucato Stamps. The stamp factory is an Ethiopian state-owned enterprise established in 1952 to provide services for stamp manufacturing in Ethiopia and other countries.
In addition, Ethiopia has deployed other printing plants in the country to ensure its stamp and currency production capacity. These printing houses use advanced printing equipment and technology to continuously innovate and evolve to support the production of Ethiopian stamps.
Overall, the designers and craftsmanship of Ethiopian stamps have evolved over the years. Through these developments and evolutions, Ethiopian stamps have evolved from a simple mailing tool to a work of art of cultural and historical significance.
In terms of stamp production, Ethiopia's printing technology and production process are also constantly developed and improved to ensure the high quality and aesthetics of the stamps.
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