Letter from Schaeffer to Megaw on the publication of excavation resultsClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer

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Le Castel Blanc, 14 Rue Turgot, St.Germain-en-Laye, (Seine et Oise).

January 4th, 1949.

Dear Megaw,

Thank you for the welcome news contained in your letter of the 30th december and for your wishes for 1949. I present you ours for you both with the special hope that we may meet again this year in good health.

I congratulate you and Dikaios very heartily on the fine success of your first campaign at Enkomi (you don't mind if I continue the traditional spelling). I am of course, very anxious to hear more about the discoveries and the bronze statue 55cms high (is the height correct?) of a horned god. The discovery of a Baal at Enkomi would be an outstanding contribution to what we already guessed of the syrian influence in this port down from Middle Bronze (see Mission en Chypre, p.52, 58, 69 et 70). The examination of the figure would undoubtedly allow its dating if the stratigraphical indication should not be sufficient.

I would now like to make sure that the new expedition publishes its discoveries without delay. It seems to me that we cannot afford the prewar custom of provisional reports followed by a definite publication. This always causes duplication and additional expense. I suggest to proceed immediately with the final publication in bookform. You will find enclosed the draft of the title page and of the contents. Each contributor would get a certain number of author copies, say 20 and 10 for single contributions, or 1 author copy and 50 offprints of his individual contributions. You can propose other figures of course.

After the Preface I would like to reproduce your note on Enkomi excavations and the fondation of the joint Expedition or some similar article signed by you. I would give a historical view of the combined undertaking. Then would follow the archaeological contributions. If you would have some study of your own to contribute (perhaps on the architecture of the new building discovered by Dikaios?) I would be very glad. In this case your name and titles would be inserted on the front page either before or after Dikaios.

The book should go to press before the end of this year and I would suggest to print it where we are served quickest, either Paris, London or Oxford.

P.T.O.

Stamp: TELEGRAMME AU DEPART

Printed: TAXES FRANÇAISES