1946

Curium Excavations Episkopi, Limassol Cyprus

Nov. 28, 1946Dear Peter,

I'm afraid I'[handwritten: ve] been even slacker than usual in answering your recent notes.

1. We were most grateful for the loan of Mitford's articles and and still engaged in copying out the salient texts and points. Whenever you need any or all of them back, please don't hesitate to call for them - copying fragmentary inscriptions is unfortunately a task which tires one very quickly. I've also read Myres' articles in the BSA but haven't read the others yet- which I'll do at once.

2. Many thanks too for the pottery catalogue by Miss Taylor which, once I reconcile her names with the Swedes', will be most useful.

3. I also appreciate your instructing the Paphos guard to take squeezes of the syllabary inscriptions for me. I haven't the faintest desire to publish them - rest assured -nor can I probably read a word. But I feel the syllable-forms of our ancient neighbor might throw light on ours, I make almost nothing of the rock-inscriptions here, and will probably end up by sending them on to Mitford. Since I plan to go to Paphos one day soon (?) I'll take the squeezes there.

4. I'm delighted to hear Hill's Vol. I has arrived, and enclose 25 shillings for my copy, which I hope is still left.

5. We were most grateful to Dikaios for visiting us, and to you for arranging his visit. He was extremely thorough and helpful, and most patient, on material which I'm sure couldn't have really thrilled him[handwritten: .] Results: the "Altar One Area" sherds and pots are, with the exception of a single Mycenaean sherd, almost entirely archaic, distributed about equally between Swedish Archaic I and II, with a slight fringe of latest Geometric and 5th century on either end.

6. George's film came with your letter and he is very pleased (though scared to open the box until he sets up a dark room).

7. We returned Electra's pillow via Dikaios a day before her letter came.

------------------------------------------------

I believe this brings me finally up to date. Please tell Electra that in spare time (when I should have been copying Mitford's inscriptions) I have made an index to the (too few) Greek plant-names in Hplmboe - when I have it typed I'll make her an extra copy to stick in her book, in case she'd like it. Also, if she's in earnest about lending me her flower-press I'll take her up on it.

With best regards from all of us,

Handwritten: signature

P.S. Is there any more Hydrochloric in Nicosia ? We're out

Handwritten: AGAIN

Handwritten: 9