DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4856#0007
EXCAVATIONS AT ENKOMI, 1896
THE SITE.
Certus enim promisit Apollo
Ambiguam tellure nova Salamina futuram.
Horace, Odes, i, 7.
FROM Famagusta, with its Gothic cathedral and Venetian ramparts, the road north-
ward to the classical ruins of Salamis reaches, after about four uninteresting-
miles, a marshy district, over which it is carried by means of a viaduct. It
appears that this marshy district has been formed in the course of ages mainly by
the river Pediasos, which at the time of the winter floods gathers in its long course
through the plain much alluvial soil, which it deposits over this swamp, a smaller stream
near by helping in this work (see map). On a small scale the result is much the same as
at Ephesus, where the river Cayster has converted the ancient bay and harbour into an
extensive marshy plain, and possibly the Pediaeos had begun its desolating process in early
historical times, like the Cayster. It was noticed by a learned and very observant traveller
of the last century, Bishop Pococke, that this marshy land, which separates us from the
ruins of Salamis, had once been an ample basin, within which the great fleets of that
city lay sheltered. That is more than probable. But his notion that the ruins of
Salamis, as we now see them lying immediately to the north, stretching along by the
sea, represent the ancient city from its beginning to its close was not confirmed by the
excavation of the site by the Cyprus Exploration Fund in 1890/ It had been expected
that under the obviously later Greek and Roman remains traces would be found of
a much older city, contemporary with the two great tumuli further inland. But this
was not the case. It appeared rather that these ruins beside the sea represent only the later
Salamis, which had sprung up when the older city had been abandoned, whether, as at
Ephesus, from the silting up of the bay, or from other causes.
Apart from the tradition that the original city had been founded by Teucer on his return
from Troy, and named Salamis after his native island, the two tumuli so conspicuous
in the district were in themselves sufficient witnesses of an important settlement of
the Mycenaean age. It is true that these tumuli had been ransacked long ago—as we
ascertained by exploration, and, indeed, knew beforehand as a matter of fact. But
near each of them are still to be seen remarkable tombs, the construction of which
leaves no doubt that they belong to the Mycenaean age. At the base of the tumulus
beside the village of Enkomi is a large underground tomb led down to by a dromos,
and now used by the villagers to keep pigs in.
The other tumulus, that of Hagia Caterina, was opened by Mr. A. H. Smith in
August, 1896. Two adits were driven towards the middle of the tumulus. One struck
the stone roof of the tomb, but from the nature of the interior of the mound, it would
1 [ournal of Hellenic Studies, 1891, pp. 59 f°l-
THE SITE.
Certus enim promisit Apollo
Ambiguam tellure nova Salamina futuram.
Horace, Odes, i, 7.
FROM Famagusta, with its Gothic cathedral and Venetian ramparts, the road north-
ward to the classical ruins of Salamis reaches, after about four uninteresting-
miles, a marshy district, over which it is carried by means of a viaduct. It
appears that this marshy district has been formed in the course of ages mainly by
the river Pediasos, which at the time of the winter floods gathers in its long course
through the plain much alluvial soil, which it deposits over this swamp, a smaller stream
near by helping in this work (see map). On a small scale the result is much the same as
at Ephesus, where the river Cayster has converted the ancient bay and harbour into an
extensive marshy plain, and possibly the Pediaeos had begun its desolating process in early
historical times, like the Cayster. It was noticed by a learned and very observant traveller
of the last century, Bishop Pococke, that this marshy land, which separates us from the
ruins of Salamis, had once been an ample basin, within which the great fleets of that
city lay sheltered. That is more than probable. But his notion that the ruins of
Salamis, as we now see them lying immediately to the north, stretching along by the
sea, represent the ancient city from its beginning to its close was not confirmed by the
excavation of the site by the Cyprus Exploration Fund in 1890/ It had been expected
that under the obviously later Greek and Roman remains traces would be found of
a much older city, contemporary with the two great tumuli further inland. But this
was not the case. It appeared rather that these ruins beside the sea represent only the later
Salamis, which had sprung up when the older city had been abandoned, whether, as at
Ephesus, from the silting up of the bay, or from other causes.
Apart from the tradition that the original city had been founded by Teucer on his return
from Troy, and named Salamis after his native island, the two tumuli so conspicuous
in the district were in themselves sufficient witnesses of an important settlement of
the Mycenaean age. It is true that these tumuli had been ransacked long ago—as we
ascertained by exploration, and, indeed, knew beforehand as a matter of fact. But
near each of them are still to be seen remarkable tombs, the construction of which
leaves no doubt that they belong to the Mycenaean age. At the base of the tumulus
beside the village of Enkomi is a large underground tomb led down to by a dromos,
and now used by the villagers to keep pigs in.
The other tumulus, that of Hagia Caterina, was opened by Mr. A. H. Smith in
August, 1896. Two adits were driven towards the middle of the tumulus. One struck
the stone roof of the tomb, but from the nature of the interior of the mound, it would
1 [ournal of Hellenic Studies, 1891, pp. 59 f°l-