Document·34 CDF art. 175·1950

Article on Enkomi 1949/1950 for the Archaeological Institute of AmericaClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer

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Typed in English. Every line is transcribed, and the text sits beside the scan.

Scan 2 of document 34 CDF art. 175 (Article on Enkomi 1949/1950 for the Archaeological Institute of America), typed in English. The transcription follows.

Scan: Collège de France, Paris, 34 CDF art. 175, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Page 5Scan 2 of 10

Along the west in half of the mainstreet of Enkomi-Alasia, we have excavated in 1949 and 1950 a particular large building which is the most extensive and best-built construction found until now at Enkomi-Alasia. Some of the blocks used for its fine ashlar walls measure 9 feet in length and nearly 3 feet heigh. The south facade has preserved big windows and four gateways. Floors made of thick layers of compressed white earth are hard with a well-smoothed surface. The upper courses of the double-faced walls are hollow. No bricks seem to have been used. The building consisted of one central part and two wings. The general plan shows one rectangular inner court with the main rooms built against the outer wall. To the right of the main gate, a corridor and staircase led to the first floor.

After being destroyed by fire, the ruins have been partitioned and reused for small habitations of bronze founders. The poor architecture with rough walls of these later dwellings is in strong contrast with the original building. Five floor levels have been identified, the earliest (V) belonging to the original construction. The pottery found in and under this floor being of the late Cypriote II and III periods, the without later admixture, the foundation of the building goes back to the period between 1390 and 1290 B.C.

Towards the end of its existence, [handwritten: the] building corresponding to floor V was partially reused by people different from its former occupants. The pottery of this phase is of the transitional period of the Late Bronze to Iron Age, with some fine examples of clone style vases. This reoccupation period was only of short duration from 1225 B.C. to 1175 B.C. Its end may even be as early as 1200 B.C.

Immediately after that date, the vast building was destroyed by fire in the course of a general catastrophe related to the occupation of Cyprus by the Sea people (among which was a branch of the Philistines according to our Irida), before their advance towards Egypt and their defeat at the hands of Ramses III (ca.1185) already referred to.

The burnt ruins of the vast building, after having been strengthened, were partitioned into small dwellings and workshops for bronze casting by the new inhabitants of Enkomi, mixed with the remains of the former population (floor IV). Characterised by complete absence of the Mycenaean ware.

65 figures hard to readstruck struck outadded written in above” jug ditto, and what it repeatsword reading not certain

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