Letter from Schaeffer to Dikaios about the next season in CyprusClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer

13 May 1946

Dear friend,

I confirm my letter of 11 March by air, to which I have received no reply. Now, as you did not give me your brother's address in Lyon, I could not communicate directly with him. If he has not already left, an opportunity presents itself on 10 June next to reach Beirut by the 'André Lebon'. I shall embark on this ship too, together with my collaborators. Reply to me by return, or tell your brother to ask for a passage directly to Lyon or Marseille.

Of course, I still hope that he will be willing to join my Mission or, if he has already reached Cyprus, to come and help us there.

I forgot to say in my letter that the Mission of course bears the costs of food and lodging for its collaborators in addition to the salary.

I therefore hope to be able to begin my excavations at Enkomi earlier than I told you in my previous letter. Here is my programme. I expect therefore to be in Beirut (address Hotel St. Georges) around 20 June and to leave again around 27/28 for Ankara. I expect to have finished my research at Malatya towards the end of August and then to return at once to Cyprus, either directly from Turkey if there is a connection, or via Beirut.

I therefore hope to shake your hand in the first days of September and October. It will still be hot, but I think it will be bearable. I hope this date suits you and that you can attach to my mission Georgios, the excellent foreman and preparer who helped me last time at Enkomi.

I shall bring with me one of the architects from Ras Shamra, Paul Pitonin, and an archaeologist-assistant, Cochè de la Ferté, who worked with the Franco-American Mission at Antioch (Campbell). Both of them, after having fought against the Germans, were prisoners during the war.

I shall write to you on the way from Beirut and from Ankara, where my address is: Embassy of France. As soon as the dates are closer, I shall also announce myself to Sir Charles Woolley, the kindly governor who gave me such a good welcome when I passed through your country during the war.

My respectful regards to Mrs Dikaios, and cordially to you,

Handwritten: signature

Mr P. Dikaios, Curator of the Archaeological Museum, NICOSIA.