The terracotta vessel depicted on this stamp imitates a leather or cloth model. The deformation on the shape of a leather or cloth vessel brought about by the weight of its content is imprinted in the clay in an impressive manner. The vessel was found in the tomb of a big cemetery of the Early Bronze Age (2400-1900 B.C.) on the site of Vounous of Bellapais. It is kept at the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia.

 

And it comes from this set that the Department of Postal Services will issue a series of four commemorative stamp issues, one every year, entitled "Cyprus through the Ages" to be completed in 2010, on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Cyprus. This year's issue consists of eight 25 cents stamps. The stamps of this series, as well as the Definitive stamps of 2007 are the first to be denominated in dual currency, i.e. in Cyprus pounds and euro.