1939

Episkopi,

March 23, 1939Dear Mr. Hill,

I am writing from the apotheke, where I am kept, much against my will, by heavy rains. The weather has been very bad ever since I arrived. George and I are weathering it as best we can; John is in the hospital in Limassol with a touch of pleurisy. His temperature reached 102 at the worst, but is normal again and we hope to have him back here in a day or two.

I am enclosing a copy of the list of the contents of the cases/of Lapithos Bronze Age pottery. I have also given a copy to Megaw, who needs it in order to grant the export permit. We have instituted a search for the list of the geometric pottery packed by John Young, but have not as yet located it. There is an American Export boat sailing the end of the month, so we hope to get the things on it.

I have started work on the Bamboula again, though I have not been able to do much because of rain. I first cleared a late 6th century tomb found and partly plundered by Michali. It contained nothing of interest. Regular work in the settlement started this week, with 40 men. I am continuing with the well, extending the three areas started last year in Georko's lot, opening a new trench, and clearing a tomb plundered, also by Michali, the first winter I was here. It has been plundered at least four times, so that there is apparently nothing in-situ, but it has its pottery. We have found quantities of good Cypriote pottery of the 14th century, two imported L.H.III pots, some ivory, and fragments of an ostrich shell. It must have been a very good tomb. I am making a valiant attempt to find one or two unplundered Mycenaean tombs on the Bamboula, a difficult task since it was thoroughly ransacked in Roman times, by the British Museum, and by the villagers since. But we should be able to find one or two.

You will be both amused and pleased to hear of the outcome of … continues