Letter from Megaw to Schaeffer on the division of objectsArthur Hubert Stanley Megaw

Tel No '

Our Ref. 36/36/4

Your Ref.

Printed: GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS, Department of Antiquities, Nicosia

Stamp: coat of arms

21st November1957.

Dear Professor Schaeffer,

I have now studied your letter dated 20th November in which you state that you cannot agree to my revised proposals for the division of the finds from the Enkomi excavations so far displayed, which I outlined to you orally the previous day. You set out the main features of these proposals in the enclosure to your letter. In order to avoid any misunderstanding I attach a detailed statement of what I proposed.

2. I should point out that this included in the excavator's share two items from this Department's excavations on which no decision had been taken when we spoke on 19th November viz:

Bronze figurine of ox No.60 Head figurine of mother goddess No.2090.

In addition you will note that this statement included on the excavator's share two important items omitted in your summary viz:

French mission 1949 tomb 5. A Mycenaean crater from the Cyprus Museum collection with spiral decoration, to equalise the balance of Mycenaean pottery.

Consequently, as they now stand, these proposals represent a further significant improvement of the excavator's share.

3. Turning now to the substance of your letter, while I appreciate the importance you attach to the horned god from our excavations (No.19) and the silver gold bowl from yours (No.4207), I cannot subscribe to your thesis that they so surpass in value all the other finds that either;

(1) if the finds are divided as I proposed, the excavator's share should be increased by the inclusion of an item from the Cyprus Museum equal in importance to the silver and gold bowl; or

(2) failing that, virtually all the remaining finds, including those not yet displayed for division, should be placed in the excavator's share, if both the above outstanding items are placed in the Cyprus Museum's share; or

(3) if the horned god is claimed for the Cyprus Museum, the bowl should go to excavator's share to make a fair division possible.

4. Furthermore a revision of my proposals on the lines indicated in your above suggestion is not practical for the following reasons:-

Prof. C.F.A. Schaeffer, M.A.D.Litt

/(1)

Handwritten: M.F.

Handwritten: Verrier (circled)