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

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… including the final phase, the close style, the pottery then in use at Enkomi- Alasia, of much poorer aspect than in the preceding period, has been termed subMycenaean were and was, as reported above, in exclusive use in the very early iron Age I tombs in the town. Another significant change to be observed at this juncture is the first appearance in the island of iron weapons and tools, even in dwellings and tombs of ordinary people.

Soon after the time of Floor IV, specimens of the so-called granary ware, identical with or similar to the pottery found among the ruins of Mycenae after its fall, make their first appearance, mixed with the still predominating subMycenaean ware, in the Sea-People or early iron Age levels overlaying the great building. During this phase, corresponding to Floors III and II [handwritten: illegible annotation] (ca 1190-1100 B.C.), extensive structural changes were made in the dwellings (among the ruins of the former building). Doors and windows have been walled up and the floors raised twice, in connection with floods which, in the course of at least 6 years of exceptionally heavy rainfall, deposited gravel and sand in layers to a thickness of nearly 3 feet in the east-west streets of the lower town.

Finally the dwellings corresponding to floor level II have been destroyed by an advent of a different character and rebuilt or repaired immediately afterwards. Evidence in favour of an earthquake which seemed to have damaged also other towns in eastern Cyprus, such as Sinde and Curium (BSA, XLII, p. 165; LM, p. 531). After this catastrophe, which can be dated to ca 1100 B.C., began the last period of existence of the town of Enkomi-Alasia, corresponding to floor level I during which the metal industry was still [illegible] motive and its general proper-

Handwritten: well known

ty unimpaired. The Mycenaean imports are dating from this period and not from the late Bronze Age as hitherto admitted. The pottery of granary style and the local imitations is now predominant, whereas the subMycenaean were arvives only in degenerate form.

Towards the end of the period, the approach of some threatening danger caused the inhabitants to bury their valuables and the statues of their gods to avoid desecration. Several of these hidden places have been in and immediately under the uppermost level, floor I, of the Ayios town. In one of them, we

Handwritten: illegible

found a group of bronze statues and a remarkable little bronze throne. The throne with its original seated statue seems to have been lost during the earthquake of ca.1100. During the search by the inhabitants among the ruins, only the seat could be recovered. It was provided with a new statue, which does not fit the size and construction. Finally the group was placed in hiding under … continues