PORTUGAL

February 28, 2023 – The caravel
The series of crypto stamps “Portugal Correios” issued by the Post of Portugal in 2023 dedicated to the Caravel – the first ship to be used in the epic Portuguese Discoveries . The Caravel is a ship that made its appearance in the Portuguese Discoveries in 1440. It was very easy to sail, even windward, and was ideal for navigating unknown seas as it could follow the coastline and enter river mouths, making it perfectly suited to maritime exploration. In addition to these qualities, it also had excellent range, meaning that it could spend days on the high seas without having to stop for supplies. It was used repeatedly by the Portuguese until Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope, in 1488. It later became obsolete when the Great Voyages of Discovery demanded even greater range and resistance, due to the necessarily increased duration of explorations on open sea and far from the coast.