May–December 1954

Curium 24 Aug 54

Dear Rodney:

Yrs. of 13 Aug to hand. Trust you have had a fine time at Martha's Ambelokepi.

Will see about sherd collection at Gordion as requested. Since it can be limited to the items you mention I think I can cope with it speedily. Plan to leave Nicosia for Ankara on the 15th (Wed.), to whip on to Athens on the 18th to pick up luggage. JB is taking to Athens for me, if proceeding on ca. 20th to 21st. Have made no reservations as yet, but perhaps I can safely now. Peter has made several large last minute demands which have made planning very problematical to say the least; but I guess we can cope somehow.

Dikaios has been here today for final divisions along the lines suggested by your letter. We have done all right, I think.

Lamps: got 7 more of Glass & Hell types. Sculpture: Very little more to choose from. Mostly crumby limestone scraps or marble too good to be allowed to depart. Got, however, a nice enough marble face and a complete limestone male statuette probably reasonably exhibitable. Could have had marble 3/4 life size draped female, no head, said no: dull, heavy to transport. There is some: Ayios Hermogenes, scheduled for later division. Virginia won't undertake publication. Suggest trying Franny Jones for next summer with special grant, ?

Pottery, Roman: We get two more, both archaic: #30 and 44. possible.

Kaloriziki tombs: 44 is one dug by Jack this year, nice enough, with two or three good figurines. Rhodian of which we have really very little here except Rhodian of which we have scads already.

SAH's: really very little here except Rhodian.

Bamboula: We are assigned the Voupha tomb and the material from plundered tombs in lots 270 & 236. Contain some Mycenaean, fine tall red flask (my choice, not much to choose from) plus a very fine relief sherd with interesting bull-fighting scene (very exhibitable). Will also get some of the settlement Cypro-Myc. graffiti.

Extra: Very queer prehistoric dish with two tripartite lug handles, said to have been brought in by Pete from Greece, probably Corinth.

Mosaics: no dice. Dug all other sides of court (sondages). No more figured mosaics found. Guess the trustees get some money back.

Sotira: Dikaios much prefers division next summer. Inconvenient now and not everything yet mended up. We may do better to wait.