Enkomi C.F.F Schaeffer Plates IV-VIIClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer

Handwritten: 3.3.9

dedicated to Professor John L. Myres.

The huge Tomb VI at Minet-el-Beida, already mentioned, and which was in use since the beginning of Late Ugarit III, judging by the earliest offerings deposited there, contained fragments of a krater on which the painted decoration depicts a chariot-scene of a degenerate style. This vase, along with several others permits one to establish the type of Mycenaean pottery being used during the final period of Late Ugarit III, that is to say between 1550 and about 1250 B.C. [handwritten: 33]

At Cyprus, several finds of this period have been made. Tomb 8 of the Swedish excavations at Enkomi contained a thick layer formed by the remains of thirteen to fifteen skeletons associated with very late examples of Mycenaean vases, corresponding with those of the final phase of Late Ugarit III. The Swedish Expedition classified this layer as late Cypriote II (1550-1275), a date nearly conforming with ours. [handwritten: 34] Two layers of debris coming from a structure, and a third layer of earth mixed with stone separate the lower level from a secondary burial situated higher up. This latter contained only a bottle of White Shaved Ware and a late and incomplete stirrup vase of the same type as those found in the lower level. In spite of their stratigraphical separation the two levels of interment belong, therefore, to the same period; consequently the intermediate layers must have been laid down relatively quickly. This conclusion agrees with the observation of the excavators according to which the layers in question result from the burning of an old building situated above the tomb.

Tomb 18, the richest found by the Swedish expedition, is the most instructive in many respects. [handwritten: 35] It is made up of a lateral chamber which served as ossuary and a main chamber almost square in plan, which indicates the late date. As the excavators recognised, the ossuary and the deepest shafts of rectangular plan sunk in the floor of the main chamber, contain the oldest burial remains. Their furniture is made up of numerous Mycenaean vases of the final phase of Late Cypriote III (1550-1200), diadems or other ornaments in gold leaf repousse … continues