Slovakia 2006 "Geological Localities Sandberg and Somoska"

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Issue Date	21.04.2006
ID	Michel: Bl. 205 (532,533), Scott: 497, Stanley Gibbons: ,Yvert: , Category: pF
Author	Designer: akad. mal. Karol Felix, Engraver: Frantisek Horniak
Stamps in set	2
Value	SK 32.0 Geological Locality Sandberg SK 35.0 Geological Locality Somoska
Size (width x height)	30.5 x 44.4 mm
Layout	MS of two stamp and a tab in the middle
Products	FDC x2 MSx1
Paper
Perforation	12
Print Technique	Recess printing from flat plates combined with offset
Printed by	Postal Stationery Printing (PTC) House, Prague
Quantity	Mini-Sheets: 200.000, FDC: 3.200
Issuing Authority	Slovak Post (Slovenska posta)

In April 2006 Post authority of Slovakia (Slovenska posta) issued an Mini-Sheet with two stamps and a tab in the middle, shows some unique geological localities of Slovakia: Sandberg and Somoska.

The range of geological processes over different geological eras resulted in the formation of a wide range of rocks in Slovakia.
The mutual action of often opposing phenomena (such as accumulation/removal and redistribution of rock masses, alternation of sea and land) due to climatic changes resulted in many unique natural formations, many of which are now legally protected.

Fractions of pecten shell, Flabelipecten solarium on stamp of Sloavia 2006 MiNr.: 532, Scott: 497a

Ammonite on postmark of First Day Cover, Sloavia 2006

One shell of fossilized bivalve mollusk Panopea menardi shown on cachet of FDC of Slovakia 2006.

One of the most remarkable geological areas is the theme of this Slovak postage stamp.
It is world-renown for its 300 types of fossil: Sandberg (from the German ‘sand hill’).
It is situated in the National Nature Reservation of Devínska Kobyla, in the municipality of Devínska Nová Ves, in the southwest margin of Bratislava.
From the geological point of view, this area is in the transient sector between the Alps and the Carpathians. The wider zone around Sandberg was formed by the sediments of the warm (subtropical) tertiary sea that intruded into this region about 15 million years ago.
Littoral and beach sediments with horizontally settled layers are characteristic. The layers are formed mainly of fine-grained sands and gravels, with compacted sandstone in the upper banks. The layers of lithotamnian carbonates are also interesting. The sands were largely excavated in the past.

The shells of foraminifers, slugs, shellfish, and even shark teeth and the bones of large mammals form the majority of fossils.
Fractions of pectens, for example the Flabelipecten solarium (Lamarc) that is reproduced on the stamp, are amongst the most common.
The bivalve mollusk Panopea menardi is reproduced on the cachet of one of the First Day Covers (FDC).
The fossils of larger animals (e.g. vertebra of a whale, seals, turtles) have also been unearthed in the region.

This site has been proclaimed by the international geologic community as a standard locality for the substage “devín”, i.e. the upper part of Badenian.
In terms of flora and fauna, many species of protected plants (e.g. iris, pheasant’s-eye, etc.) flourish in this area and in the sand walls many protected species of birds – including the honey-buzzard and sand-martin – build their nests.

The second stamp shows "stone waterfall" of Somoska - despite its relatively small area, is characterised by a very diverse and complicated geological structure.

The "stone waterfall" of Somoska on stamp of Sloavia 2006 MiNr.: 533, Scott: 497b

Endogenous and exogenous processes continually repeating and alternating with each other have determined - during their intricate evolution - the variability of the rock.
The important part of the endogenous processes is volcanic activity, the result of which is the birth of volcanoes that have produced a wide spectrum of volcanic rocks.
Under the influence of changes of climatic factors (temperature, wind, precipitation), the exogenous processes cause the weathering of rock surface layers, and transport the products of such erosion with water and air onto the places of their repeated accumulation and subsequent building up of new sedimentary rocks.
Under the influence of just the above-mentioned phenomena, many unique natural formations have emerged in Slovakia.
One such formation, “the stone basalt waterfall” at castle hill Somoska, is depicted on another postage stampand FDC of the set .
This formation represents the selectively preserved part of basalt lava intake canal (neku) with distinctive mildly bent columnar jointing.
Somoska is situated in Cerova upland, the municipality of Siatorosska Bukovinka, near the Slovak-Hungary border.
It is a national nature reserve with an area of about 90 acres and with a nature trail passing through it.
Sea sediments (mostly sandstones) prevail in the lower parts of the geologic structure Cerova upland which evidences the former presence of a sea bay.
Volcanic activity is represented by less frequent older andesites (15.5 to 16.5 million years) – in the vicinity of Siatorosska Bukovinka.
But younger basalts (5 to 1.2 million years) prevail, forming peaks and extended crests in the west part of upland. The territory of Cerova upland is an outstanding phenomenon of both inanimate and animated nature summarily written up in the popular scientific work “Geological educational map of Cerova upland in scale 1 : 50 000 (RNDr. M. Elecko, CSc et al.)”. This was published by the Dionyz Stur National Geological Institute in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic in 2001.

Products

FDC	CTO Mini-Sheet

References:

• Official website of Slovakia's Post: Geological Locality Sandberg, Geological Locality Somoska,
• Information card insert in the First Day Covers: [1], [2].

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