Letter from Schaeffer to Woolley giving a preliminary report on the excavationsClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer

Enkomi Expedition, Famagouste, 6.Sept.1946.

Dear Sir Charles,

Perhaps you remember my visit to you in 1944 when I came over to Nicosia as French Naval Officer. I then told you of my intention to resume archaeological research at Enkomi as soon as war is over. At last things are ready. I arrived last week by air from Turkey with two assistants and as we are short of time I arranged the expedition to start work immediately. Owing to your absence from Nicosia, I was prevented to call at your House and I hope you will forgive me that I write instead.

I very much see forward to have the pleasure to meet you later. I hope to stay in Cyprus until the middle of october. I say, I hope, for there is a serious labour shortage and I don not yet know if I can overcome the difficulty.

We have started work with about 70 men (and women), but I need at least 100-120. After the people from Ayios Sryros walked out on strike asking 8 hstead of 6 ah we are now left with 50 mostly very old men and a few very young. In spite of paying the high wage, we were not able to find sufficient and better labour. I was obliged to stop to-day and to send the foremen to the neighbouring villages to get more labour for Monday. I hope they will succeed. I was also advised to see the Mayor of Famagouste who seems to have some influence on labour. I am going to call at him to-day.

The Antiquities Service, M.Megaw and the curator of the Museum, M.Dikaios, have been most helpful and, thanks to them, I was able to start work without delay.

What we have found at the beginning is very promising. My main object has already been achieved. There is no doubt, we have found the mysterious Bronze Age town to which belonged the rich cemetery formerly explored by British and Swedish expeditions and by myself. As I expected, the town is occupying the site of the ancient metropolis. The tombs have been built in the caves beneath the houses. The house plans appear very distinctly and the masonry by indicates the wealth of the town. I venture we could dig out there something like a Bronze Age Pompeyt of Cyprus. So I am very impatient to go on with the work.

Yours sincerely

Sir Charles Woolley Governor of Cyprus Troodos