Letter from Schaeffer to Dikaios on the discovery of a statuette of a Baal-type godClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer

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The Cyprus government has committed committed itself to a minimum sum of 500 pounds for the publication; for my part I can contribute as much, and more if Nicosia decides to increase it, a possibility provided for, I believe, in the letter of the Colonial Secretary of 5 March 1948.

Naturally the titles and the number of your contributions to the publication are not final. You may contribute more and choose the subjects that please you.

You will reflect and go and discuss my proposals with Megaw.

There, the archaeological year 1949 is well begun. Again all my congratulations, respects and regards to Mrs Dikaios, also from my wife and Odile, and[handwritten: signature]

of the Syrian element in this port so close to Ras Shamra and the Syrian coast. Other discoveries have been foreshadowed (cf. Missions en Chypre, p.56, 58, 65, etc.). It may well be that you are there in a sanctuary with ex-votos of the Syrian colony established probably as early as the Middle Bronze (or Middle Empire) at Enkomi, counterpart of the Cypriot colony at Ras Shamra.

Of course I await your letter with impatience when, towards the end of your researches, you will be able to summarise your hopes.

P.S. I thank you for your letter in reply to the sending of my Stratigraphie Comparée I. I am happy that a judge as well informed as you approves my chapter on Cyprus.

Mr P

Of course this report will not be published; I will only announce to the press that a reading of your report has been given to the Academy.

Mr P. Dikaios, Curator of The Cyprus Museum, NICOSIA, Cyprus.

You will find enclosed the mock-up of the title page and table of contents of Volume I of the Franco-English Mission, which I would like to set in train this year; I propose indeed in my letter to Mr Megaw to combine with the preliminary reports and to produce at once a definitive publication in book form. This would be more worthy and we would save time while avoiding a dispersion of our publication funds.

P.T.O.