Imagine a country that has issued less than 800 different postage stamps during the past 120 years. In addition of that, it is the 10th largest country of the world by total area with a population of 42 million people. And with history dating back to Kingdoms of Nubia, it is one of oldest standing points of civilization. That is Sudan.

Though Sudanese postage stamps are somewhat uncommon to find, I think many collectors recognize the classic design called “The Camel Postman”. The first appearance of the design was in 1898, after which it was used more or less consecutively for the next 50 years, and even today the “Camel Postman” appears on Sudan stamps in modified form. And as usual, the stamps design has an interesting historical story.

The story begins in 1820, when Egypt invaded and conquered Sudan. As British occupied Egypt in 1882, Sudan became part of the British Empire. But things didn’t go as planned from here on. The ruling Khedivial government became shortly very notorious for mismanagement and corruption; and finally a revolt broke out in Sudan. Followed by several years of battles, the British forces were required to interfere and establish a permanent position in Sudan. Under these condition in Sir Herbert Kitchener, took Sudan under his iron first for administrative matters in 1896.

In 1897, Sudan used Egyptian stamps. The first stamps of Sudan issued in March 1897 were nothing more than overprinted Egyptian stamps. But Sir Herbert had more glorious plans. As Sudan was no longer part of Egyptian Union, Sir Herbert looked out for new postage stamps that would specific to Sudan.

First place a traveling artist was asked to submit a design, but the depiction of the rock temple at Abu Simbel was not utilized as Sir Herbert found the price of 25 guineas too excessive. Instead, Sir Herbert ordered Captain E.A. Stanton, a distinguished illustrator, to make a design for the stamp. As Stanton was a member of Anglo-Egyptian Army, his services would be at no cost.

Stanton was given generous five days to complete the design. Inspiration escaped Stanton until the regiment’s mail was delivered by camel instead of the usual river steamer. Soon Stanton was on full run staging the design. Camel and rider were “borrowed” from local tribe, bags filled with chopped straw were attached to the saddle to imitate mailbags. – and soon Stanton had finalized a sketch of the Sheikh riding through the desert. Names of ‘Khartoum’ and ‘Berber’, two towns in Sudan, were addedd afterwards to the mailbags on stamps design.

To Stanton’s great relief, Sir Herbert accepted his drawing and, in March 1898, postage stamps prepared by Thomas de la Rue with Stanton’s illustration were issued at Berber.

The ‘Camel Postman’ continued to be used on Sudan’s postage stamps for a long time. Besides being used as long standing definitive stamp, the design has also been incorporated in various commemorative issues. And of course there’s lots of varieties to collect like watermarks and overprints. The Camel Postman has not only appeared the postage stamps of Sudan, but also on banknotes and coins as well.

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