Antiquities, 106, June 1953, pp. 103–105 and pl. IV: An Inscribed Tablet from Enkomi, CyprusPorphyrios Dikaios

[handwritten: Antiquity, 106, June 1953 p. 103 to 105 & pl. IV]

One of the most important results of the excavations at Enkomi, which I conducted for the Department of Antiquities in Cyprus, during the summer of 1952, was the discovery of a fragmentary tablet of baked clay (Plate III) inscribed on both sides¹. The part of the site where this document was found is that which adjoins on the inside the north sector of the City Wall. Here in 1950, during the clearing of the Wall we noticed architectural remains lying immediately on the inside of the Wall. It was therefore decided to open up this area and examine the connection structural or chronological between these remains and the City Wall.

At the end of the 1952 season we were able to ascertain that there existed a large complex of buildings dating back to the beginning of the Late Cypriot (Bronze Age) II, i.e. round 1400 B.C. and even, in parts, to the Late Cypriot I. This complex possessed fortification walls extending East and West and at about 1250 B.C. it was reorganized and new floors were made. Soon after i.e., during the last quarter of the thirteenth century there occurred a severe destruction at a time when Mycenaean III, C: I pottery was in use. The whole of the superstructure of the complex was pulled down and the lower parts of the walls, which were built of rough stones, were buried under the debris and sundried mudbricks.

Following this catastrophe an attempt at reconstruction was made at least in some parts of the complex; but soon after

(1) These excavations form part of a joint expedition (French Mission and Department of Antiquities, Cyprus). The French Mission is under the direction of M. Cl.F.A. Schaeffer. The Director of Antiquities, Mr A.H.S. Megaw, kindly gave me every support.