Europa'98. National holidays

    Azerbaijan  1998.12.29

    In issue: Stamp(s): 2   

  • Number by catalogue:  Michel: 438   Yvert: 359   Scott: 682  

    Perforation type: 13x12 ¾

    Subject:

    1000 manat. Novruz.* Women preparing celebratory foods

    Additional:

    *Nowrūz (Persian: نوروز /noruz/ ↔ [nowɾuz],(English: New Day) various local pronunciations and spellings) is the traditional Iranian new year holiday celebrated by Iranian, Turkic and many other peoples in West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, Northwestern China, the Caucasus, the Crimea, and the Balkans.

    Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the New year. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (start of spring in northern hemisphere), which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday.

    The term Nowruz first appeared in Persian records in the second century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the Achaemenids (c. 648-330 BC), where kings from different nations under the Persian empire used to bring gifts to the emperor (Shahanshah) of Persia on Nowruz.