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Gök Medrese (Celestial Madrasa) - 4 anna

This stamp highlights the architectural and educational heritage of the Ottoman era through its depiction of the Gök Medrese, or "Celestial Madrasa," in Sivas. The illustration carries a message of scholarly excellence and the refinement of Islamic stonework, symbolizing the high value placed on theological and scientific learning within the empire. In the Iraq context, the prominent "IRAQ IN BRITISH OCCUPATION" overprint marks the moment when this regional cultural pride was absorbed into a new military administration. By repurposing these pictorial stamps with surcharges in Indian annas, the British authorities maintained the existing postal infrastructure while signaling a definitive shift in institutional authority from the Ottoman Sultan to the British Mandate, effectively bridgeing two disparate imperial histories.