COVER N. 501 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 22.08.24

Posted on the 22nd August; Received on the 28th August 2024

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Another of Ravindra's great covers, this time with a very recent set dedicated to Ancient Incsriptions of Sri Lanka. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravindra!

The 4 x 50 Rupee set was issued by Sri Lanka Post on 12AUG2024 and it aims at highlighting the historical importance of ancient writings as a way of confirming or infirming theories and speculations on past events already shrouded by the opaque blankets of time.

The four stamps all bear witness to such writing, by replicating them as illustrations. Two are rock inscriptions while the other two are inscriptions in metal, copper, presumably.

Of note is the fact that one of the stamps is illustrated with what is believed to be the world's first written peace treaty and as such also the first inscribed on a rock, this being the text on the vertical stamp on the right corner of the cover. 

The stone bearing the  inscription, is located at the Sangamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya (a Buddhist temple, I believe) in the village of  Udabulathgama village, Gokarella.

An interesting newspaper article on this particular stamp issue can be found here.

As usual, postmark from Colombo's PO Headquarters.