1952–April 1953

G. H. McFadden.

THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

CURIUM EXCAVATIONS EPISKOPI, LIMASSOL CYPRUS

18th November, 1952Dear Fro:-

Since my return here I have been working on the Tomb of the gold scepter which promises to be one of the most important tombs of the period excavated in Cyprus. As you'll remember Rodney asked me to give him a report on the tomb for the Bulletin. I think now, however, it is far too important to hold up a fuller report than the Bulletin could accomodate. I suggest that it be published as a monogram in the Museum series. I am working it up as a final publication and hope to have it ready by Christmas.

Joe has been doing a little cleaning in the area round about the fine mosaics cleared last Spring. There is a strong probability that we can find another one in the same building complex. If we do so the Department of Antiquities has promised to let us have a division of finds of the mosaics on a fifty fifty basis which means we'll be able to send at least one to Philadelphia. The mosaic could be lifted and shipped at very small expense. The cost of digging might amount to about £200 if you are interested enough to contribute this amount. As you know it was Princeton University who dug the site of Antioch, a site famous for its mosaics. Professor Friend published some of these for Princeton. When he saw our new mosaics last summer he told me that he considered them finer in quality than any thing that they had unearthed at Antioch. Of course we run the risk of not finding another one, but even if we are disappointed in this we shall have cleared an important building which has already produced a mosaic which should become famous. This building not only has mosaic floors but its walls are revetted in white marble. It stands on the ancient road at the entrance to the city so that its position alone speaks for its importance.

I hope to write Rodney in a few days about the tomb.

Yours as ever,

Handwritten: signature

GHMcF/cp

The Director, The University Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 4.

Stamp: handwritten annotation at lower right, illegible