May–December 1954

I managed to finish checking the typed VG film lists; and have left Ellen's with the rough draught at the Megaw house where you can pick it up next time. I've added from hers to mine the Curium catalogue numbers given to tomb items after I had left in 1943; it looked rather as if there are more final catalogue numbers then she had listed, [handwritten: much] of her list still gives things by their tomb numbers. Since a lot of these pictures were made before the catalogue cards (which, for Tombs 8 and 10 etc., George wanted to make himself), it seems quite possible that contacts never got stuck on some cards, hence in the inventory these objects may be listed as not photographed. (Like the handles catalogued by Pete Daniel, of which we shall be sending you contacts presently.) When I send you the revision of my typed film list, maybe you can get some intelligent slave to make a check, using the "plates" of the various tombs, etc., to help; they will show also whether the existing photograph is so bad that it ought to be done over again. - if time permits. In the course of my cross-check, I think I corrected all wrong identifications of objects in Ellen's list, but I didn't go over the excavation descriptions at all systematically. I think it won't be worth while to do this, nor to correct the carbon copies of her list, since you will have copies of the revised list, with the scale at which the objects were taken. When I say "all wrong identifications" I mean mostly those clearly due to my bad handwriting in the draught. Ellen did a wonderful job of interpreting those rough lists. I do so much wish of course that her time had not been wasted on it. It could have been avoided if somebody had sent me a [handwritten: —] Cyprus Airways ticket that year, along with a lot of other unnecessary nuisance, such as the duplicated numbers. Indeed, I would have gone out anyway, if I had had any idea that the essential documents had gone out of circulation. One absolute good of your investment this year, which you need not underestimate, is the assembling of the parts of the photographs reproducing apparatus, including the instruction sheet: you would have wasted a lot of time before you found the "intermediate focusing thread, A" or the "adapting ring, B" - especially as they had been screwed tight together, and looked like one unintelligible gadget.

It was so late by the time I got home Thursday night, that I saw nobody (literally) that I knew, and even my mail had been gathered into Mr. Ath.'s office, so I could go to bed in peace [handwritten: —] and unapprised of anything. I was sorry to find out next morning from Jack - who inquired with much interest about your affairs - that I had just missed an Open Meeting on Pylos and Lerna, full of lovely color slides. The trip to Olympia (LT etc.) didn't come off, because Alison's back was acting up. Homer and Dorothy went to Mytilene. The Pylos expedition had set off before I arrived, so I didn't see my old friend and classmate Marion Rawson; hope Missy and I inquired first about Pux affairs: everything had arrived safely by Lucy T.'s various couriers, and Lucy S. was much pleased, and hoping to do a good job for all of us. I found a letter from her, saying that she wants my index by June 15. I assume therefore that this date is the final one for revisions in manuscript to reach the editor, and of course if there is to be preliminary discussion with others, they should be prepared sooner. It seems that Homer had disagree with some of your interpretations himself. Of course if there cleared up. Missy has just finished a well of around 400 B.C. full of queer things; sides - unstable color, and the pictures rather hard to make out. Who knows how many others have been washed off. Dorothy is digging her Middle Stoa still. They have started to take down the bell tower from the Holy Apostles.

Have you thought of how successful that Dick bring an architectural student to do the drawing? He is sending one to Jack for Lerna, who is considered very promising and pays his own passage I think - just wants the experience and has some means. I imagine Dick would show him how to do the work. No more now, but do let us have a line in your "spare time" - I went all the news.

Handwritten marginal note, illegible