COVER N. 595 - LITHUANIA

Postmark: Europa Nacionaliniai Archeologiniai Atradimai Šilalė, 25.04.2025

Posted on the 25th April; Received on the 17th June 2025

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A nice surprise from Lithuania. Thank you so much Leonardas. EUROPA/CEPT issues are always a very welcomed  treat.

Hills and elevations have often been chosen by our ancestors to implant their dwellings and fortresses, since they afford a more unimpeded line of sight  and also because they are easier to defend from attackers.

But what if there are no natural elevations? What if you live in a region that is mostly flat?

Well, as the saying goes, if the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain... that is to say, if you do not have a mound, you create one, shaping the landscape with what I'd imagine would be quite a few buckets of elbow grease.

That's what I read happened in Lithuania and the other Baltic States, in a period that goes back to 1000 BC and on to the Middle Ages, with several artificial elevations having been created for use either as dwellings or defensive structures, or both.

This year's EUROPA/CEPT stamps theme being National Archaeological Discoveries, Lietuvos paštas, the country's postal operator, chose the Mounds, of which some 850 examples have been identified in Lithuania alone, as the subject for the country's issue, comprising the two se-tenant 2,10€ stamps issued on 25APR2024, on the beautiful FDC that Leonardas kindly sent me.

The stamp on the left of the pair is illustrated with a photograph of Bilionių Mound, believed to date from the 1st millennium BC, situated close to the city of Laukuva, in the north of the country.

The stamp on the right showcases  the Medvėgalis Mound, which at 234,6 m is the highest elevation of the Samogitian Upland, whereupon a hill fort was built in the 14th century.

The First Day Postmark on the official First Day Envelope  was issued at Šilalė, in western Lithuania, part of the Samogitia region.