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1999
[Editor's note: we do not
attest to the accuracy or completeness of these notes which are provided by the
Croatian and Slovenian Postal authorities.] |
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(SLO) "ŠKOROMATI" FROM BRKINI - 2 IMAGES
-
Date
of issue:
January 22,.1999
- Design: Milena Gregorčič
- Printer: DELO -
TISKARNA d.d., Ljubljana
- Realization: Pola
(16)
- Perforation: comb
- Size: 50,75*36,25
- Paper: Chancellor oba
free L.S.PVA GMD 100g, gummed
- Face value: 20 SIT
(left) 80 SIT (right)
- Print quantity: 130000
"Škoromati" is a common
name for a wide range of carnival masks in the Brkini area, a region in
southwest Slovenia. As groups they perform in Podgrad and Hruščica.
Until recently the custom called "škoromatenje" was not only limited to
those two places. It covered a larger area and longer period of time.
The rounds of masks lasted from St. Stephen (26 December) to Ash
Wednesday. Today the events take place only in the Shrove period. Boys
are entrusted with the organisation and arrangements concerning
individual carnival characters of the "škoromatenje" custom.
The most picturesque
mask characters among the "škoromati" are the ones that are called "s
poberínom" or simply "škoromati". This is the most numerous group of
masks dressed in a quite uniform way. They run slowly through the
villages and ring bells. Some have cowbells hung around their waist, and
two or three among the group have only small bells. The most distinctive
part of their fancy dress is the pointed headgear, which is decorated
with numerous paper blossoms and long multi-coloured ribbons. They are
donned in fur coats and instead of trousers they wear white underpants
with red or blue ribbon on the side. Their socks are also vivid in
colour. Unlike some other Slovene carnival areas where the production of
masks is typically reserved for the boys and done in strict secrecy, the
"škoromati" clothes and headgear are also made by mothers and girls of
some of the boys.
The central character of
the "škoromati" group is "škopit". In each group there are usually two
"škopits" - frightening masks in black mantles, whose faces are daubed
with soot. They wear large hats decorated with the wings of a hawk or
crow, and in their hands they hold great wooden pliers which they use
for catching their victims with a view to daubing them with soot. Other
"škoromati" do the same thing. The "škopits" are the most awe-inspiring
masks. Their name itself stands for castrator (it derives from the verb
"škopiti" which
means to geld, to castrate).
Besides the above-mentioned masks the "škoromati" group includes other
masks which can be found in one variant or another in almost all Slovene
areas with the preserved Shrove heritage (e.g. "the one with patches",
mower, the gypsy man and the gypsy woman, the fat one, the photographer,
tax collector, doctor, accordion player, the inhabitant of Rezija and
others).
One might likely wonder
where the "škoromati" custom from Brkini derives from. The term
describing a dressed up person - "scramatte" and "sgaravatte" – can be
found in the Italian language in the archives of Cividade and Udine
(Cividale al Friuli, Udine – Italy) as early as the 14th and 15th
centuries. The words are of German origin and they stand for military
troop guard. So, what we have here is a mask of a military or night
guard wearing a wide mantle. The people living in the border region
between Carniola and Istria have thus accepted the character from the
border army (scramatte) among their carnival characters. The same
phenomenon can be noted today (e.g. the motif of a policemen, soldier of
the former Yugoslav National Army, etc. taking part in modern Carnival
processions). In the course of time the term for this carnival character
began to stand for all masks in the Brkini area, even though it is the
character of "škopit" that preserved the majority of its visual
characteristics.
Prof. Janez Bogataj, Ph.
D.
See also: Religion -
Carnival |
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(HRV) CROATIAN FAUNA -
THE MEADOW VIPER
- Date of issue.: April
27, 1999
- Quantity: 350000
- Value: 2,20Kn
- Author: Owen Bell,
designer, Zagreb
- Size: 35,5 x 29,82 mm
- Paper: white 102g,
gummed
- Perforation: 14,
- Tehnique:
Multicoloured Offsetprint
- Printed by: AKD
- Hrvatski tiskarski zavod, Zagreb, Savska cesta 31
The stamps are issued in
"se-tenant" sheet of 16 stamps in cooperation with the WWF-World Wide
Fund For Nature. The Croatian Post will also sell the commemorative
First Day Cover (FDC) and the First Day Sheet.
The panda design and the
logotype WWF have been used with the WWF consent.
In the wider European area
there live representatives of a total of five species of vipers, and the
greatest number of genera and species are the representatives of the
family Colubridae - snakes. Most of them are nonvenomous, with a few
sorts of "semivenomous" (posterior-fanged vipers). The next in number of
genera and species is the family Viperidae-vipers, among which we also
include the Vipera ursinii. Within this family all the species are
"genuine" vipers (front-fanged vipers), that have a specially developed
device for injection venom into the victim. In Europe there are 9
species of vipers of this snake family. Out of these 9 species there are
only three species registered in Croatia: the horned viper (Vipera
ammodytes), the common adder (Vipera berus) and the sharp-headed meadow
viper (Vipera (ursinii) macrops). The rearest of the three species is
the meadow viper. We consider the mountain Dinara to be the only
definite habitat of this species, which lives there on the
above-sea-level hights, on the rocky meadows and on the edges of the
groves. In most cases it inhabits and hides in the subterranean
corridors of small mammals.
This is the smallest of
European vipers, it only rarely reaches the length of more than 50 cm
(the most usual length of adult specimen is between 35 and 50 cm with
the tail accounting for the tenth part of that length). The adult
females are usually somewhat bigger from their male counterparts. This
viper has a relatively slim body and narrow head and can (when viewed
superficially), be mistaken for the Italian/asp viper (Vipera aspis) or
the common adder (Vipera berus). This viper can easily be distinguished
from the other vipers by using numerous existing facts for determining
the class of the reptiles.
The meadow viper is an
animal mostly active during daytime, but at times of great heat it can
also be active during night. As distinguished from the majority of other
vipers, this is an almost nonaggressive snake that will bite the man
only if seriously endangered or wounded. Besides, its venom is rather
weak and there is also less of it that in other European vipers, so that
it presents almost no danger for the people. The bite itself will cause
only local pain and swelling as well as slight ailment (a rise in
temperature and excess perspiration), but this will pass rather quickly.
Not a single case of death caused by such a bite has been registered in
Croatia.
The nutrition of the meadow
viper differs from population to population: some of them feed on
lizards while others feed on insects (mostly on grass hoppers and
crickets). Hardly ever do they feed on small mammals, and if they do,
than only on the new litter.
This species of viper is
usually more active than other viper species. It stops hibernating very
early, almost immediately after the snow has melted (temperatures
reaching from 10 - 12 degrees C), and it remains active until the first
snow (in valleys that means from March to the end of October). The most
favorable temperatures for its activities are the ones between 22 and 23
degrees C. The mating period is lengthened, usually from April to June,
and its young are born mostly in July, August or the beginning of
September, depending on the part of the range or the above-the-sea-level
height of its abode.
Upon the up to now collected
data we can conclude with a degree of certainty that this is the most
narrowly spread venomous viper in Croatia, and by this fact itself it
belongs to the extremely endangered species. However, only by a
systematic research of its spread, and the taxonomy and biology of this
species we will be able to reach an answer about the status of the
species and the approach necessary in its protection. These answers
should be reached as soon as possible, unless we should be left without
the species on account of waiting for too long.
See also: Fauna -
Reptiles |
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(SLO)
FAUNA, HORSES - LIPIZZAN
-
 Date
of issue: May 21, 1999
- Illustration: Matjaž Učakar
- Design: Matjaž
Učakar
- Printer: DELO
- TISKARNA d.d., Ljubljana
- Realization:
Pola (25)
- Perforation:
comb
- Size:
40,32*28,80
- Paper:
Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
- Face value: 350 SIT
- Print quantity:
70000
The horse family
(Equidae) belongs to the herbivorous mammals, odd-toed ungulates. The
ancestor of the horse - Eohippus was a forest animal about the size of a
fox. A 40 million year-long evolution caused by the change of the
natural habitat and feeding habits resulted in the modern horse. Out of
the many species and subspecies of horse descendants, only the genus
Equus - to which besides the horse (Equus caballus) also belong the
donkey, the wild ass and the zebra - has been preserved.
Man began to domesticate
horses about 6,000 years ago. Domestic horses are classified into
thoroughbred, warm-blooded and cold-blooded horses, and ponies. Purebred
horses, which are particularly famed for their nobleness, elegance and
very often also for their lively temperament have contributed
considerably to the development of numerous modern breeds of
warm-blooded horses. Cold-blooded horses differ from the warm-blooded
ones in weight and build: they weigh more and are more stocky. In
addition, they are more heavily built, stronger, endurable and have
usually better developed protective coat.
Today's modern breeds
(about 250) have been mostly bred with the crossbreeding of purebred
horses with the light native horses. In certain areas some breeds have a
very long breeding tradition and they also bear their name.
Lipizann (or
Lipizzaner)
These purebred horses
were bred by the Lipica stud (the name Lipizzan/Lipizzaner came from the
Lipica stud farm), established by Archduke Charles in 1580 for the needs
of the studs in Graz. By crossbreeding Spanish, Neapolitan, Arab and
other stallions with the mares of the local Karst stock, a medium-size,
sturdy and long horse famed for its extreme endurance and versatility
(it is used as a working horse for agricultural jobs, riding and
carriage horse) was developed. Born chesnut, fox-couloured or
mouse-grey, foals turn white at a later stage. They are eminently
suitable for training and belong to the most elegant riding and carriage
horses in the world. Lipizzans are bred by private breeders around the
world. In addition, there are also some traditional studs outside
Slovenia. Foals born in Lipica are branded with the letter L on the left
cheek-bone.
Bojan Bračic, M.Sc.
Borut Trapečar, D.V.M.
See also: Fauna -
Horses |
|
(HRV) 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH
OF VLADIMIR NAZOR
-
 Date
/ Vrijednost:
June 18, 1999
- Designer / Autor:s: Danijel Popovic
(from Zagreb)
- Printer / Tiskara:
AKD, Savska cesta 31-Zagreb
- Size / Veličina:
24.14x35.5mm
- Quantity / Naklada: 250 010
- Paper / Papir: White, 102 g, gummed
- Perforation: 14
- Technique: Multicolor Offset
-
Denomination: 1.80 K.
Nazor was born in Postire, Island of Brač, May
30, 1876 and died in Zagreb, June 19, 1949, and was a poet, storywriter,
essayist and politician. He completed his natural science studies in Graz,
Austria and worked as a teacher in Split, Zadar, Pazin and Koper,
and later in
Kastav, Zagreb, Sušak and Crikvenica, and again in Zagreb. At
the end of 1942, he joined the Partisans, accompained by the Croatian poet Ivan
Goran Kovačić. He was the first speaker of ZAVNOH (Croatian war parliament). He
died as the Speaker of the Parliament of the National Republic of Croatia. He started writing in secondary school and
throughout his life he considered literature as the only meaningful objective of
his life. Although distant from the Croatian literary circles and centres of the
time, he was the most influential poet immediately before the First World War,
both as the author of epic and of lyric poems, including Istrian, and was
considered the greatest national poet.
See also: Literature, Novels -
Veli Jože
and Boškarina |
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(HRV) EUPHRASIAN BASILICA IN POREČ
(PARENZO)
-
 Date
/ Vrijednost:
June 25, 1999
-
Designer / Autor:
Hrvoje Šercar, painter and Designer / Autor: from Zagreb
-
Printer / Tiskara:
AKD - Hrvatski tiskarski zavod, Zagreb, Savska cesta 31
-
Size / Veličina:
51.12 x 29.82 mm
-
Paper / Papir: White, 102 g, gummed
-
Perforation: 14
-
Technique: Seven-color offset
-
Quantity / Naklada: 350 000
-
Denomination: 4.00 K
A traveller, having travelled far and wide, said that Istria should be visited
if only for the Poreč Euphrasian basilica.
Indeed, after St Paul's basilica in Rome was
destroyed in a fire in 1823, the Poreč basilica is the only early Christian
basilica in the Western Christendom which has completely preserved its ancient
architecture. Its archaeological layers, richness and beauty of its marble
decoration, mosaics, stuccoes and the building itself, make it an outstanding
example of early Christian architecture in the Mediterranean.
The Poreč basilica has a nave and two aisles,
separated from the nave by slender pillars with various capitals supporting
graceful arches. The nave and the aisles have an apse each, but the nave is
distinguished by its special beauty and exquisite mosaics. Even today these
famous mosaics impress the visitors by their beauty and harmony. Above the
triumphal arch is the mosaic of Christ with the twelve apostles. On the arch of
the apse, as a counterpoint to the apostles are twelve medallions with virgins
and martyrs. In the centre of the apse is the Virgin with Child with angels on
both sides; next to them on one side is the bishop Euphrasius holding a model of
the basilica, with his relatives, and St Maurus bishop, and on the other side
there are three saints. Below them, on the left and on the right, in reach
mosaics are presented the scenes of the Annunciation, and the Visitation of the
Virgin Mary. The Euphrasian basilica, the bishop's palace, the
baptistry, the Cella Trichora, i. e. the memorial chapel or the mausoleum of the
bishop Maurus - all these belong to the unique complex of the Euphrasian
basilica. This complex represents an outstanding value not only for its
antiquity and the state of preservation, but for the artistic values which have
resisted the ravages of time to the present day. The unique beauty of the apse
and of the triumphal arch, enriched by incrustations from pagan temples,
stuccoes, plastic art and paintings from the Renaissance and the Baroque, make
both the Euphrasian basilica and its adjacent buildings a unique piece of
architecture which was put under UNESCO protection in 1997.
See also: Churches & Cemeteries |
(SLO) Railway -
Locomotive Terglou -
150th Anniversary of the Arrival of the First
Train to Ljubljana
-
 Datum
izdaje/uporabe: September 16,
1999
- Vrsta: PZ
- Ilustracija: Jože Trpin
- Risba: Jože Trpin
- Oblikovanje: Milena Gregorčič
- Motiv: Locomotive Terglou
- Tisk: DELO - TISKARNA d. d., Ljubljana
- Tehnika: 4-colour offset
- Pola: 25
- Papir: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g,
gummed
- Velikost: 40,32 x 28,80 mm
On 16 September 1849, 150 years ago, the railway
line to Ljubljana was opened as the last phase but one in the construction of a
railway link between Vienna and Trieste. From Semmering on, the railway line was
financed by the state at its own expense, while from the capital to Semmering it
was financed by the banker Sina. The Southern State Railway began in the
settlement called Mürzzuschlag, in the southern foothills of the Alpine ridge of
Semmering. It reached Graz in 1844 and Celje in 1846.
The difficult construction of this 88.4 kilometre
long railway line between Celje and Ljubljana along the Savinja and Sava Valleys
was traced and directed by Venetian Carl Ghega. Even though there were other
possible directions, the one leading through Zidani Most was chosen because no
long tunnels were needed and the slopes were rather gentle. The railway line was
very winding because it had to be adapted to the flow of both rivers. It enabled
the later construction of the railway line to Zagreb. In addition, the line was
of vital importance to transport in this part of the country because it
immediately transferred the goods traffic from the river Sava, where boats were
towed with superhuman effort against the current of the river using very narrow
paths cut into the rocky banks. During construction many difficulties were
confronted, as occasional very high waters occured, which exceeded the normal
water level by as much as 8 metres. Due to the problematic land configuration
numerous cuts, embankments, retaining walls, bridges and conduits had to be
built. The most impressive of all constructions are undoubtedly the stone bridge
over the Savinja river near Zidani Most, which is still used, and a 190 metre
long wooden bridge over the river Sava near Litija, which was replaced in the
sixties with a steel construction.
In all, 46 months were needed to complete the
construction of this railway line and it was an example of how to build a
railway that would last for centuries. On the opening day a ceremonial train
with very important guests from Vienna arrived in Ljubljana. Among them was the
personal delegate of Francis Joseph - Archduke Albrecht, who opened the railway
line on his behalf. Many reporters from that time celebrated the foundation of
railway link between Ljubljana and Vienna, even though the latter was actually
completed as late as in 1854, when they finished the railway line over
Semmering. Until then, travellers between Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag had to
travel over the eastern spur of the Alps by postal coaches.
The locomotives "Terglou" (Triglav) and "Laibach"
(Ljubljana) pulled the festively decorated opening train, which arrived in
Ljubljana on 16 September 1849. Unlike the "Laibach" engine, which was designed
to haul passenger trains, the "Terglou" locomotive was a freight locomotive from
the construction point of view, belonging to the series of the so-called small
four axle Norris locomotives with two driving axles and a hauling tender. It was
made in 1846 by the Norris company from Philadelphia, carrying the factory
number 335. It weighed approximately 17.7 tons, had driving wheels with a
diameter of 1106 mm and could develop approximately 133 horsepower. If it was
heated with the wood, the locomotive could haul a train weighing 170 tons at a
speed of 30 km/h over flat land and if it was heated with coke its capacity
increased by one third. The highest speed it could reach was about 40 km/h.
Prof. Mladen Bogić |
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(HRV) 100th
ANNIVERSARY OF THE CROATIAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN PAZIN (PISINO)
-
 Date
/ Vrijednost:
October 15, 1999
- Designer / Autor: Ivica Belinić from
(Zagreb
- Printer / Tiskara:
AKD, Savska cesta 31-Zagreb
- Size / Veličina:
35.5x29.82mm
- Paper / Papir: White, 102 g, gummed
- Comp perferation: 14
- Technique: Multicolor offset
- Quantity / Naklada: 350 000
- Denomination: 2.30 K
In the 19th century Istria, together with
Dalmatia and Dubrovnik, belonged to the Austrian part of the Habsburg Monarchy.
At that time, that portion of Istria that was predominantly Slavic consisted of
illiterate peasants. There were no Slavic elementary schools or associations,
and the official languages of the administration and the judiciary were Italian
and German. After the successful activity of St.Cyril & Methodius's Society on
the Istrian territory that founded and supported a number of elementary schools,
a Croatian grammar school was founded in Pazin in 1899. At the same time, an
Italian grammar school was also opened in Pazin.
The Croatian imperial and royal grammar school in Pazin continued its activity
untill the Italian occupation of Istria in 1918, when it was closed down. This
school has given education to a great number of eminent and deserving persons
(Mijo Mirković, alias
Mate Balota,
Otokar Keršovani...). |
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(SLO) ACCORDION, KRANJSKA GORA
-
 Date
of issue:
December 17, 1999
- Illustration:
Zagorka Simič
- Photography:
Janez Pukšič
- Design:
Miljenko Licul, Studio ZODIAK
- Printer:
DELO - TISKARNA d.d., Ljubljana
- Realization:
Pola (50)
- Perforation:
comb
- Size:
25,60*34,50
- Paper:
Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gumiran
- Face value:
18 SIT
The accordion is one of the youngest musical
instruments. However, its prevalence and popularity were so great that in just a
few decades the instrument spread to all European countries and in many ways
changed the then image of traditional musical culture. The accordion appeared in
Slovenia in the second half of the 19th century. It was made by many workshops
and individuals - self-taught artisans. The accordion developed a completely new
image of what is termed the folk musician. Moreover, it became a musical
instrument in many music groups that played for distraction, fun and dance.
Accordions also developed in terms of technology. Thus, different basic types
were developed such as the diatonic type known in Slovenia as the "frajtonerica"
- the "free-tone", chromatic and piano accordion. Apart from the mass-produced,
factory-made accordions, the home-made or Carniolan (also Slovenian) accordions
appeared. The latter differed from the others in the arrangement of tones
(buttons), which influenced the mode of playing. One of such accordions was made
in Kranjska Gora in 1896. The slip also contains the name of the producer: Anton
Murkovic, "Uhrmacher & Harmonika Fabrikant". This old specimen of the Carniolan
accordion has been preserved thanks to the greatest Slovenian accordion
constructor, Mr. Valentin Zupan from Mengeš. As a part of Slovene musical
heritage it is exhibited in his museum collection. Prof. Janez Bogataj, Ph.D. See also: Music, Instruments -
Mi ha sposato la "triestina"
(Italiano) |
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Bibliography:
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