May–December 1954

Continued from scan 44

… under the circumstances, if he will. I will endeavor to get the papers in order for Henry before I leave, though I darkly growl that he will probably have more time than I for chasing around to sixty-leven gov't offices.

Will bring both of George's Leicas home, as you suggest. The Polaroid works all right. I tried it on a roll or two. Not very satisfactory for objects, though, except large, since one can't get nearer than about three feet.

Mitford was here at the same time as all the other guests. He bull-dozed thru the inscriptions in a week and is taking his notes and squeezes home to work on them there. Think he will do us an interesting job. Strong inclination to record as complete letters which only partly or minutely exist, but perhaps we can tone that down when the time comes for publication.

Nice visit from Mabel. She had to rush back to work on an Agora Guide with Eliot which she hopes Homer will let them put out. Has finished an article on Greek numerals on Agora pots. Many other irons in fire, so she thinks she'll have to go back to Greece again next summer.

Machteld was blooming. Had a fine time in Lycia. Is spending ten days in Cyprus, going back to Ankara to await Helene Kantor on Friday. We gave her highly concentrated tour of our region: Sotira, Kouphovouno, Erimi, Phaneromene (Saul's proposed dig), Apollo, Kourion, Bamboula all in one Sunday. Nothing has yet been done about the roof at Gordion, so told her by all means to have Raci go ahead so that it will be done by the time I get there, money forthcoming then.

Dick is going great guns on the Theatre-Palace. More periods than you can shake a stick at. Found 6 half-columns of Hellenistic scaenae frons built into a late wall, dug out one and found it all covered with bright red plaster. Gay, what? Fine Hellenistic Pergamene style wall outer wall of theatre has also emerged, lots of courses. He has to leave here ca. 1 Sept, will be home ca. 15th. Dicky stays here until 8 Aug, then goes to join Agnes for the remainder.

Jack is finally happy since he has found an intact and very productive Late Cypriote tomb at Bamboula. Further excavation at Bamboula not really very justifiable under our circumstances, but I thought it to the good from the point of view of his education.

Finally got Schlumberger's book on Palmyra with regard to buildings comparable to South Building at Apollo (and of course the Northwest Building also). If he's right they just ate all the time at Apollo! Am finding interesting points of comparison between the palaestra and the Heroon at Calydon; suspect ours was more than just a palaestra plain and simple.