#603 Algeria...Thanks Omar!

#517 Algeria...Thanks Omar!

This beautiful Craft of Algeria FDC was issued on 28.11.2010.

15 DA stamp:Candle holder

It is a pottery candle holder from the region of Kabylia, made from clay. The form is largely inspired by a former candle Berbers with the introduction of modern touches, the decoration is made of sober reason faithful to the Berbers specificity of the region.This candle holder with three candles and two eggs holder, is particularly used in some villages by new kalyles married during the wedding night.

20 DA:Quanoun (a musical instrument)

The quanoun is a musical instrument made of wood-based and includes sculptures and decoration.
The traditional Maghrebi quanoun includes 17 maqamat for 51 cordes.Utilised also in the Middle East, it occupies an important place among the instruments to the traditional Arabic art music.
During the play, the player places the quanoun horizontally in front of him or on his bent knees, or on a solo table.On appreciates quanoun when accompanying the singer prelude.

30 DA:Tuareg Leather Box

Tuareg cabinet is covered with natural leather carved with geometric patterns that reflect the artof Tuareg who are a Berber nomadic pastoralist people.The sides are reinforced with brass rings and chopped red.The box is also decorated with Tuareg silver motifs, coral and ebony wood. It is a reflection of work done by craftsmen possessing finesse and dexterity.It is generally used by the Tuareg girl to keep precious items for her trousseau.

#458 Algeria...Thanks Omar!

This Mosques of Algeria FDC was issued on Sept.15,2010 depicting the following three mosques:

15DA : EL HANAFI-BLIDA Mosque
20DA : Sidi Ali DIB-SKIKDA Mosque
30DA : Grand Mosque of NEDROMA

#454 Algeria...Thanks Mounir!

The 38 Dinar stamp was issued this year celebrating 50 years of OPEC,which is the same theme with this post.

#414 Algeria...Thanks Ouari!

This FDC was issued to celebrate 2010 Year of Peace and Security in Africa.During the Year of Peace and Security in Africa, in each of the 53 Member states of the AU, a Flame of Peace will travel around the country in order to promote the initiative and to involve all African citizens.

#351 Algeria...Thanks Omar!

This FDC was issued on May 8,2010 commemorating 65th Anniv. of Massacres in Sétif and Guelma.

The initial outbreak occurred on the morning of May 8, 1945, the same day that Nazi Germany surrendered in World War II,in and around the Algerian market town of Setif located to the west of Constantine.. The riots in the town itself were followed by attacks on French colons (settlers) in the surrounding countryside resulting in 103 deaths. Subsequent reprisals by French authorities and vigilantes are estimated to have caused much greater numbers of deaths amongst the Muslim population of the region. Both the outbreak and the indiscriminate nature of its repression are believed to have marked a turning point in Franco-Algerian relations.

#345 Algeria...Thanks Ouari!

#236 Algeria...Thanks Ouari!

This FDC was issued on Apr.18,2010 commemorating 16th International Conference on Liquefied Natural Gas held in Oran,Algeria.

The LNG Exhibition and Conference takes place every three years with producer and consumer countries taking turns to organise the event. It is the largest event in the world dedicated to the liquefied natural gas industry, attracting more than 2,500 delegates and 200 exhibitors .

Oran (Arabic: وهران) is a major city on the Mediterranean coast in northwestern Algeria. The name comes from the Berber word Uhran meaning The Lions.

#133 Algeria...Thanks Ouari!

#121 Algeria...Thanks Omar!

This FDC was titled Forts in Algeria issued on Feb.15,2010 showing Fort of the Emperor and Fort of Gouraya.

Fort of the Emperor (Bordj Moulay Hassan - Algiers)

Most of those who visited Algiers and wrote about this city will talk about this fort because of its important role in defending the southern side of the city and harbor. It carried several designations including Bordj Moulay Hassan, in memory of its founder, Hassan Pasha, who erected in 1545. Having been attacked, he learned later fortifications and it becomes strong in the sense of the term to the year 1580.

The height of the Emperor rises to 230 m above sea level and it protected behind the south side of Algiers. The defense posture was completed thereafter.

This fort was located in the middle of a vast area visible from the road along the beach and all the east side of Algiers.It comes in the form of a rectangle of 150m long and 100m wide. Its walls with embrasures rise to a height of 10m.

Fort Gouraya (Bejaia)

Located on the highest peak of the mountain at 672m above the sea, a position which gives considerable importance, the fort dominates the entire region excellently.

Bejaia, a Mediterranean port in Algeria, was called "Gouraya" in ancient language meaning "Gor" city "Aya" mountain .

Built on the foundation probably by Hammadites in ancient time, Spanish occupied it from 1509 and it was transformed into a fort, then refurbished by the French as monitoring point and watch.

Popular legend attributes to this site a mystical character that here lived the holy person called "Yemma Gouraya. There is a mausoleum that is still visited by people nearby and receives thousands of people every year.

#065 Algeria...Thanks Hocine!

These stamps are from Fairy Tales issued in 2009.

This series (designed by Ali Kerbouche) which evoke 4 folktales part of intangible cultural heritage of Algeria and the Maghreb but also warn about the fragility of the oral cultural heritage.

"The red rose" is a tale published in 1982 by writer Rabah Belamri (1946-1995) tells the story of Gezira, killed by the jealousy of her 5 sisters in the absence of their father on a pilgrimage to Mecca . The 5 sisters, father and another character in the story, the troubadour Boussaadia are represented on the stamp, top left.

"Loundja the daughter of the Ogre" is a tale of Berber Kabylie, also known as the "Loundja daughter of the ogress" or "The King and the 3 girls.

Loundja is a character very known in the fairy tales of North Africa, especially in the Kabyle culture of Algeria. She was known for her beauty, her courage, her intelligence, but more than ever for being the Ogress' daughter. In the tales, Loundja was the obsession of all the young people of the country, more particularly the sons of Kings. All wanted Loundja for their wife, for the reasons that I have quoted above. Unfortunately, all those who have tried to capture her have paid with their lives, which made the obsession to capture Loundja even stronger. Beware to whomever tried to capture Loundja, not only did Loundja have a ferocious mother, but she also had a father and seven brothers even more ferocious. They knew all about Loundja's popularity and protected her by all means, even killing any of the young men who dared to approach Loundja.

#015 Algeria...Thanks Omar!

The 2 stamps on the left are Algerian Youth & Children set,issued on July 28, 2009.

The 2 stamps on the right,with the first day postmark, are Farming Olive Tree set,issued on Nov 25, 2009, with the 15D stamp depicting the harvest of olives and the 20D stamp depicting the pression of olives. Very nice design!