Letter from Megaw to Schaeffer on publication funding and the next seasonArthur Hubert Stanley Megaw

Printed: No. ........

Printed: DEPARTMENT OF ANTIQUITIES

Printed: CYPRUS.

Printed: Nicosia, 13th March, 1948.

Dear Dr. Schaeffer,

In forwarding the enclosed letter I must apologise for the delay in obtaining this formal approval by the Cyprus Government of the scheme for combined operations at Enkomi which we drew up. There was no disagreement regarding the general principles of our scheme, but the financial implications gave some difficulty.

You will note that the Government has felt obliged to limit its future commitment on publication. I feel, however, and I hope you agree, that the net loss of £500 which it is prepared to sustain over its share of the cost of publication is not unsatisfactory. After all we may foresee a substantial demand for the publication on excavations of such importance, though it is perhaps too much to expect that there will be no loss at all.

It now remains for you to communicate to the Commissioner des Fouilles, which I understand you are already authorised to do. That done, when the weather is better and Dikaios is fit again (he has been on the sick-list for some weeks and has been ordered a complete rest) we can proceed with arrangements for our first season's work. If you can postpone your next campaign until the autumn we would propose to fit ours in before, whenever availability of labour permits.

The time has perhaps come when you will wish to announce our plans for future collaboration at Enkomi. I think you spoke of meeting me or a draft announcement so that an agreed text could be issued simultaneously in Cyprus. We would have the announcement to be made before our first excavations start, so as to explain our trespass on your site.

Please give our best regards to Mme. Schaeffer.

Yours sincerely,

Handwritten: signature

Dr. C.F.A. Schaeffer, M.A., D.Litt., Curator St. Germain-en-Laye, France (S. et O.)