Letter from Cambitoglou to Schaeffer about the collections relating to VounousAlexander Cambitoglou

Printed: The University of Sydney

Handwritten: (handwritten annotation at top right, illegible)

Department of Archaeology

3rd July, 1962

Professor C. F. A. Schaeffer, Le Castel Blanc, 14, Rue Turgot, St. Germain-en-Laye. S. et O.

Dear Professor Schaeffer,

As you may have heard I have been appointed by the Vice-Chancellor of our University to be Acting Head of the Department of Archaeology after Professor Stewart's death.

I am very much interested in coming to an agreement with you about the pottery from your excavations at Vounous, which, according to departmental records, you were planning to donate to the Nicholson Museum and a few other corresponding institutions in Australia and New Zealand.

The Nicholson Museum is a first rate University collection and the pottery which you sent to Australia would certainly be a very important addition to our Cypriot section, which is the result of Professor Stewart's work.

It is of course known to you that your Vounous collection and all the records are at present housed in Professor Stewart's country residence at Mount Pleasant near Bathurst. Because of the lack of facilities in the University of Sydney when the material arrived in Australia, Professor Stewart had the Vounous pottery transported to his estate, where he did most of his work and where he has facilities for the restoration and recording of the material. Mr. Merrillees was asked to study it and prepare a catalogue, which I understand is near completion.

Conditions which existed in the University of Sydney in 1960, when your pottery was sent, are now radically changed owing to the creation of the Chair and the expansion of the Department. Professor Stewart unfortunately is no longer with us but the academic staff is now increased to the number of three, including a Near Eastern specialist, Mrs. Birmingham. In addition to this a new Professor is expected to be appointed before long. Our technical staff includes two new permanent members, properly housed in adequate laboratory and workshop premises. We are therefore anxious to secure the Vounous collection for the Nicholson Museum and can assure you that we have all the necessary facilities to take care of it and display it properly.

I understand that Mr. Merrillees has done good work in cataloguing your vases and on principle this Department would like him to complete his work and have it published, with your consent.

I should be most grateful if you would let me know if you still intend to give the Vounous collection to Sydney University. Needless to say that, if you agree to leave your pottery in the Antipodes, we shall see to it that a fair distribution is made of the part you would not like us to keep in Sydney.

I am sorry that I did not manage to write to you earlier than this. The delay was partly due to the fact that the departmental archives were in Bathurst and partly to the great amount of administrative work, which is at times overwhelming.

I should be most grateful for an answer at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Handwritten: signature

Dr. Alexander Cambitoglou.

Acting Head of the Department of Archaeology.