1972–1977

Printed: THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

Printed: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Printed: THIRTY-THIRD AND SPRUCE STREETS

Printed: PHILADELPHIA, PA. 19174

Printed: CABLE ADDRESS "ANTIQUE"

Printed: TELEPHONE: EVERGREEN 6-7400 (AREA CODE 215)

June 9, 1976Mr. Demetris Michaelides British School at Rome Via Gramsci 61 Rome, Italy

Dear Mr. Michaelides:

I have heard recently from Dr. Vassos Karagheorgis that you have prepared a dissertation on the mosaics of Curium and that you have asked him to publish it.

I am much surprised since to the best of my knowledge we had not given you permission either to study or to publish this material. If I remember correctly it was you who visited me a number of years ago in Philadelphia. At that time all that we discussed, as I recall, was general aspects of the Curium publications and I think you also mentioned prospective work in lifting and restoring the mosaics. After that time there was no further communication between us such as would be normal if you were indeed engaged on a study for us.

It occurs to me that you may not be acquainted with the usual procedure with regard to the study and publication of excavation material. For such material the institution conducting the excavation is responsible with regard to study and publication. As a corollary it has the right and obligation to select suitable scholars to do the work and to give or withhold permission to work on the excavation material. The proper procedure for you to have followed would have been to apply to us, in actuality myself since I am in charge of the Curium publications. I would have decided in consultation with my colleagues here and with the Department of Antiquities.

That you have produced a manuscript just how is rather embarrassing since I have recently been making arrangements with an American scholar, David Rupp, to publish both the mosaics and the associated architecture. Although there is always room for several points of view we would not want too much overlap. So I will suggest something which you should do anyway as a matter of inherent procedure since your work concerns material for which the University Museum is responsible. That is, for you to send me an illustrated copy of your manuscript which I can share with Dr. Rupp so that he and I can decide whether or not further work on his part can be considered, or if so in what respects. We can at the same time decide what recommendation we will make to Dr. Karagheorgis concerning its publication since we have to pass on all our publications as a matter of course.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Dr. Karagheorgis.

Yours very truly,

Handwritten: signature

G. Roger Edwards, Associate Curator Mediterranean Section