Archaeological finds in the GDR - Germany / German Democratic Republic 1970 - 20 Pfennig

Archaeological finds in the GDR The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of the German Democratic Republic issues four multi-colored special postage stamps with illustrations of archaeological finds in the GDR from the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle. Archaeological research in the German Democratic Republic has achieved many new and sometimes surprising results in recent years, which provide information about the life and activities of prehistoric man on the soil of the GDR. The GDR is one of the few states in the world in which the prehistoric and protohistorical landlords enjoy legal protection (Ordinance on the Protection and Preservation of Prehistoric and Early Historical Landscapes, 1954). One of the leading archaeological research centers in the GDR is the Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte Halle (Saale), which enjoys a reputation far beyond the borders of our country and maintains international connections with similar research institutions on all continents. From the rich find of the Landesmuseum for prehistory Halle four objects were selected as motives for stamps, which are of special cultural-historical meaning. 20 Pfennig value Spangenhelm 500 u. Ztr. In the time of origin of many famous heroic legends of the German people, such as Nibelungen and Dietrich von Bern, belongs the princely ceremonial helmet of the migration period (500 and Ztr.) Made of three kinds of metal. He was found in a grave near Stößen, Hohenmölsen district and is the only specimen of its kind in the GDR. All over Europe there are only a few more helmets of this type. Consisting of iron in its basic structure, it has copper sheet supports that have been gilded. On the helmet button is likely to have sat a not preserved plume or the like. On the helmet are various ornamental geometric and figurative type, z. B. Birds that pick grapes. Among the symbolic figures, the representation of the Christian cross deserves special attention. It can be presumed that the pompous helmet was made in an Eastern Gothic workshop in northern Italy and was given as a gift of the Ostrogothic royal court to an old Thuringian princely seat in shock.