Letter from Schaeffer to Dikaios on the excavation timetable and his brother's participation in the excavationsClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer

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send me immediately a curriculum vitae and a copy of his papers concerning the completion of his studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Perhaps if the experience as architect at the excavations will in future tempt your brother and he could take part in other campaigns. The fact of being in Cyprus, thus near the main archaeological sites of the Near East would make things easier.

I have not received the Illustrated London News since 1939. So, if if possible, send me the issue concerning Ambelikon, I could cite your work or speak of it in the Revue Archéologique or Syria. If you do not have it, please give me the date of the article.

Please present my respectful regards to Madame Dikaios and share with her the fond memories of my wife.

So, as the season is already advanced, I have had, to my great regret, to postpone the excavations in Cyprus and Turkey until autumn. I am sorry for this new delay. I am told that by late summer all will go well and the communications will be more frequent.

I would be, enclosed, an official letter to announce the Mission. Finally, the essential is that it is only a postponement and that we shall still see each other this year. I think I must begin in Autumn by going first to Turkey because of the premature end of the excavation season on the plateau. The excavation season should there end around 1st October. Then it is a matter of reaching Cyprus directly from Turkey or via Syria if that route is then open. Do you know if there are boats between Turkey and Cyprus?

Another question: from about 1st October, until what date could one work at Enkomi without being hindered by rain. I think that the winter rains come late there as in Syria. I hope it will be possible to clear over a fairly large area. I hope it will be possible to avoid damage to the crops. When do the peasants begin to sow their summer wheat?

Now as to your brother's journey: there are only few opportunities at present and a great many official passages which accompany the few available places. In these circumstances I wonder whether your brother could not accept an engagement as architect with the mission of Ras Shamra and Enkomi. In these circumstances I could ask for an official passage for him and try to have him leave at the der un passage opportunity. If he does not find a passage through the good offices of his next opportunity, if he does not find a passage through the good offices of his Consulate in Lyon.

If he joins the Mission, and as he does not yet have experience in excavation work, I would propose to him a monthly salary of 20.000 Frs or c. 40 Pounds Sterling during the period of the research. I foresee about two months of excavation. From this salary, he would have to reimburse the Mission half of his journey to Cyprus, which will be unless there is a change, of the order of 25.000 Frs by air, or 15.000 Frs by boat, so he would reimburse 12.500 or 7.000 Frs depending on the case.

If this proposal interests him, please tell your brother to