Tourist sites and landscapes in Jordan – 1971
In 1971, the Jordanian post issued a set of 5 stamps representing important tourist sites and landscapes in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The Dead Sea
The first stamp represents camels and Bedouins near the dead sea. The dead sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan and Palestine. The lake’s surface is 430.5 metres below sea level, making its shores the lowest land-based elevation on Earth. It is known for its high salinity and the therapeutic effect of its salts. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in Jordan.
The city of Petra
The second stamp represents the archaeological and historical city of Petra. It is located in the Ma’an Governorate in the south of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It is famous for its rock-cut architecture and ancient aqueduct system. It was called the “Pink City” due to the colours of its rocks.
Petra was founded approximately in 312 BC as the capital of the Nabataean kingdom. It assumed a prominent position for many years, as it was located on the Silk Road, between civilizations of Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Egypt.
Ed-Deir Petra – Jordan 1971
The Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem
The third stamp represents the Via Dolorosa (translated as “Way of Suffering”) in the old city of Jerusalem. It is a processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem. It represents the path that Jesus would have taken, forced by the Roman soldiers, on the way to his crucifixion. It is a 600 meters road between the old citadel of Jerusalem and the current location of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Eastern part of Jerusalem was part of the Jordanian territory from 1951 until its occupation by the Israeli army in 1967. Today it is recognized as the capital of the state of Palestine.
The Jordan River
The fourth stamp features a landscape of Jordan river. The Jordan river, also known as Nahr Al Sharieat, is a 251-kilometre-long river that flows roughly north to south through the Lake of Tiberias and on to the Dead Sea. It is fed by the Hasbani River coming from Lebanon and Banias River flowing from the Syrian Golan Heights. Jordan and the Syrian Golan Heights border the Jordan River to the east and Palestine to borders it from the west.
Bethlehem Christmas Bell
The last stamp refers to Bethlehem. It represents the bell of the church of nativity with a panoramic view of the city of Bethlehem.
This set includes stamps representing the old city of Jerusalem and the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem. These two cities are in the Palestinian territories in the west bank. This territory was annexed as part of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan in 1951. It remained under Jordanian control until its occupation by Israel in 1967. Jordan recognized this territory as part of Palestine in 1994.
Catalogue reference: Yvert & Tellier n° 688 to 692.
