Brazil 2010 "Tribute to paleontologist Peter Lund and Lagoa Santa/MG"


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Issue Date 14.06.2010
ID Michel: 3786, Scott: 3131, Stanley Gibbons: 3633, Yvert et Tellier: 3108, Category: pP
Designer Jamile Costa Sallum
Stamps in set 1
Value R$1,05 - Peter Lund
Emission/Type commemorative
Issue place Lagoa Santa
Size (width x height) 40mm x 30mm
Layout Sheet of 30 stamps
Products FDC x1
Paper Gummed chalky paper, no watermark
Perforation 11.50 x 12.0
Print Technique Offset. Photography and computer graphics techniques.
Printed by Casa da Moeda do Brasil
Quantity 300,000
Issuing Authority Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telegrafos
Paleontologist Peter Lund on stamp of Brazil 2010

On June 14th 2010, Brazilian Post issued the stamp "Tribute to paleontologist Peter Lund and Lagoa Santa/MG".
The stamp shows paleontologist Peter Lund on the foreground and one of the caves at Lagoa Santa on the background.

The following text was written by Rosangela Albano da Silva, archeologist of Archeology Center of municipality of Lagoa Santa, for the stamps information flyer.
Information flyer for dinosaurs on stamps of Brazil 1995

Danish paleontologist Peter Wilhelm Lund, born on June 14th 1801, came to Brazil for the first time in 1833, to continue his studies in botany and zoology. He settled in Rio de Janeiro, where he made a thorough survey of all vegetation in the Baixada Fluminense area (in Rio de Janeiro), and also analyzed the behavior of ants.
In 1835, Lund decided to settle in Lagoa Santa, in the State of Minas Gerais, finding the perfect place to live and develop his work quietly.
From that time on he began to delve deeper in the great scientific path that he had embraced. In nine years of research, he explored more than a hundred caves, and found about 120 fossil species and 94 belonging to the current fauna.
He thus became the Father of Brazilian Paleontology.

Another important issue raised by Lund was the hypothesis of coexistence of extinct fauna with man in the region of Lagoa Santa, finally proven this century through new research in the area carried out by the Laboratory for Human Evolutionary Studies of the University of Säo Paulo - USP. His entire scientific collection was analyzed by Herluf Winge and Reinhard. These findings were of great importance for the studies undertaken by British naturalist Charles Darwin on the Theory of Evolution.

In 1844, Lund ended his work in the caves, and took a new direction in his research. In 1845, he sent his magnificent collection to the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and then devoted himself to botany. In 1863, he brought botanist Eugene Warming to Lagoa Santa with the aim of mapping and studying the local vegetation. Currently, this rich collection is at the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen. A tireless researcher, Lund took the first step towards the introduction of Ecology in Brazil, with the first world Study of Phytoecology. He made many friends and gained the affection of the small town of Lagoa Santa, where he lived for many years, providing an invaluable contribution to the town's cultural life, teaching music, and creating, in 1842, its first band, the Santa Cecilia band.
This stamp was issued in recognition of the important work carried out by paleontologist Peter Lund on behalf of science, and is a tribute to the region of Lagoa Santa, where he worked as a scientist and lived as an active citizen for most of his rich life.






Products and associated philatelic items

FDC First-Day-of-Issue Postmark Sheet
Paleontologist Peter Lund  on FDC of Brazil 2010 Paleontologist Peter Lund  on commemorative postmark of Brazil 2010 Paleontologist Peter Lund on stamps of Brazil 2010
Official FDC of Brazilian Post was made on a white cover without cachet, with engraved the name of the Post: Correios. The cachet was printed by a stamp dealer.
Example of circulated covers
Stamp of Paleontologist Peter Lund on circulated cover of Brazil Stamp of Paleontologist Peter Lund on circulated cover of Brazil Stamp of Paleontologist Peter Lund on circulated cover of Brazil





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References: Official information booklet of Brazilian Post, Wikipedia,



Acknowledgement:
Many thanks to Dr. Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, for his help to find an information for this article, the draft page review and his very valuable comments.



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