Summary of research at Enkomi-Alasia and the discovery of the townH. de Contenson

Margin left: text of the guide point / written by the Dept. of / Antiquities Cyprus for / the visitors of Enkomi. / 27/4/53 / copied Dec. 53.

Summary of research at Enkomi and the discovery of the town

The site of Enkomi has long been known as the richest cemetery of the Late Bronze Age in Cyprus. It was first investigated by a British Museum Expedition in 1896, when a number of tombs was opened, some yielding rich finds : gold, ivory, scarabs, paste vases, and above all fine Mycenaean pottery. In 1913 Sir John Myres together with Mr. Markides, late Curator of the Cyprus Museum spent a short season at Enkomi. In 1930, the Swedish Cyprus Expedition led by Dr. E. Gjerstad excavated a score of tombs some of them important and contained rich finds.

In 1934, Dr. Cl. Schaeffer, the French excavator of the North Canaanite capital of Ras-Shamra (ancient Ugarit) started excavations at Enkomi on behalf of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, in search of evidence connecting Cyprus with the Syrian Coast. He also was interested in the tombs, but was anxious to discover the town to which they belonged, and of