January–June 1947

CURIUM EXCAVATIONS EPISKOPI, LIMASSOL CYPRUS

4 June 1947Director, The University Museum, 33rd and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia.

Dear Mrs. Godfrey,

Since I last wrote you we have had some distinguished visitors here of whom the last was our director, Mr. Hill. Unfortuneately, he was unable to stay for more than a month, as one of his students, Professor Blegen, who dug at Troy and Pylos, is returning to Greece, and Mr. Hill was anxious to be at Athens when he arrived. His visit coincided with the division of finds. I'm very glad I put this off until his arrival as I'm sure his presence made all the difference. Of the three tombs valued highest by Mr. Daniel, we have two minus one terracotta tripod. In the event of another tripods turning up of similar size and shape, ours will be returned to the group to which it belongs. Mr. Hill has already written Daniel to lose the tomb. The only other alternative was about the division which has been confirmed since by the Director of Antiquities, so it is final. They were more generous, we think, than we should have been in their places. Before taking up the matter of the division of finds, we announced your intention of supporting the trial dig at Sotira and to excavate the site later if results looked promising. I think Dikaios' pleasure was well reflected in his generousity at the division. He will become a member of Curium Excavations and will dig the site under our direction. His salary and that of the skilled personnel he will be bringing with him from the Cyprus Museum will be paid by the Department of Antiquities. They will have their own draughtsman on the site, and the photography and mending will be at no expense to Curium Excavations. Their services may in the end well equal our own contribution, without modifying the final division with at least half the finds going to the University Museum. We should be grateful, as all these services have been contributed not by bargaining, but by the spontaneous generosity of the Director of Antiquities. They, too, have reason to be grateful, as our contribution of funds to dig a site chosen by their curator has made it possible for them to enter the field again. The trial dig will begin in a few days and will last for about a week only. The proper excavations will coincide, it is hoped, with Mr. Hill's return here next season. Mr. Hill was much impressed by the site, but it is much too early, of course, to say how good a one it will turn out to be.