History

29 Mar 1930

Swedish Archeologist Alfred Westholm reflected on the charms of living in the Amathus site

 

Swedish Archeologist Alfred Westholm reflected on the charms of living in the Amathus site:

The nearest village is 3-4 miles from here and we have therefore arranged for ourselves to camp. The epistate and the workers are housed in a little garden cottage about 1 kilometre from the digging site. I myself live some 100 metres away from them down by the shore in a highly remarkable structure. It was originally constructed by John and Erikos for the last campaign at Karpassos and I have now temporarily taken it over. It consists of 22 grass mats nailed onto a wooden frame. The roof is a canvas tarpaulin. The entire thing is very stable compared with a tent and is an ideal summer house, airy and cool. But – if it should rain! – which it has done ever since I moved in –  the canvas gradually fills with water which finally, and down to the last drop, enters the room at different points, in the bed, on the desk, onto the bags and onto suits. The earthen floor turns into floating mud and finally there is not a dry thread on one’s person, in the bags or in the bed. «Έτσι είναι η αρχαιολογική ζωή». But soon I shall be immune to difficulties of this sort. They are part and parcel of our life and our work. Everybody knows now how to take care of water catastrophes. Eleni, who guards the camp when we are out working, knows exactly what must necessarily be saved and what can be sacrificed of clothes and so forth for the sake of more important things. Drawings, photographic plates, instruments and an enormous Persian camel hair coat that Einar sent with me are all still dry. The latter will be my consolation tonight!