Murray, Alexander S.; Smith, Arthur H.; Walters, Henry Beauchamp: Excavations in Cyprus: bequest of Miss E. T. Turner to the British Museum (London, 1900)

PREFACE.

THE excavations described in this volume were carried out by means of funds
bequeathed to the Trustees by Miss Emma Tumour Turner in 1892. The
result has been the enrichment of the Museum to an unprecedented degree in a class of
antiquities which for a number of years has been engrossing the attention of students.

For the first season (1894) the site selected was Amathus. The operations were
superintended by Mr. Arthur H. Smith, assistant in the Department; and latterly by
Mr. J. L. Myres, of New College, Oxford, then a student of the British School at
Athens. Mr. Smith's report appears in this volume.

In the second year (1895) it was decided to try Curium, where General Cesnola
had obtained so much success. The excavations there extended to the neighbouring
village of Episcopi and were directed by Mr. H. B. Walters, assistant in the
Department, whose report will be found in its place.

In the third year (1896) the scene of operations was at a distance of nearly two
miles inland from the ruins of the later Salamis, not far from the modern village of
Enkomi. The work there was begun by myself at the end of March of that year and
carried on till the early part of May. From July to September Mr. Arthur H. Smith
was in charge. In the interval from May to July the excavations were superintended
by Mr. Percy Christian, who made a careful record of the contents and shape of each
tomb.

In accordance with the law of Cyprus, a third of the objects found were handed
over to the Government of the island and deposited in the Museum of Nicosia, the
division having been made in such a manner as not to separate the contents of any
one tomb. In the following record we confine ourselves to the tombs allotted to the
British Museum, briefly indicating only the character of the tombs assigned to the
Cyprus Museum.

A. S. MURRAY.
British Museum,

February, 1900.