Archaeology and Heinrich Schliemann 2012

82 David A. Traillwhat soil the slabs are fixed and what relationshipthey have with the other similar slabs – somesculpted, some fallen, some forming rectangularcisterns, which Schliemann also considers to bePelasgian tombs – or whether they have been placedthere later, taken from buildings of an earlierperiod. He adduces security as an argument fortheir removal. However, from the day of their discoverya guard placed there for this purpose carefullyguards them at night and on holidays. Thisjustified resistance of mine Mr Schliemann considersbarbaric and uncivilized. I telegraphed theEphoria on Saturday concerning his insistencethat the slabs be removed. In communicating theabove to the Ephoria, I request that it take the necessarysteps to ensure that the excavations proceedin accordance with the law and the instructionsof the Ministry. Otherwise, I cannot remainin Mycenae, if the excavations proceed as theyhave under Mr Schliemann, because I bear greatresponsibility both in respect of the Ministry andthe Ephoria. I request that the Ephoria ask theMinistry for my recall or my dismissal from theservice.”Stamatakis then describes the favors he has donefor Mr Schliemann. For instance, he points out that hedisciplined and trained the workmen for him. Of particularinterest, however, is his description of the dayto-dayhandling of the finds:“We receive the finds, cleaning and arrangingthem at the site as a favor to Mr Schliemann, sothat when he comes to the site in the evening hemay find them set out in order and he can makehis notes. We remain at the excavation from 6 a.m.till 6 p.m., supervising and gathering the finds.Mr Schliemann, on the other hand, visits twice aday, in the morning and evening. When eachday’s finds have been viewed by Mr Schliemann,we transfer them to Charvati, to our lodgings, inwhich we arrange them by type, putting numberedlabels on them, on which is also recordedthe depth at which they were found, and enteringthem in our daybook. Then we place each find inits proper place. This work of arranging and recordingcontinues each day from 9 p.m. till 1 or 2a.m., to the no small detriment of our health andfor the convenience of Mr Schliemann. Mr Schliemannvisits the objects arranged in our lodgingsand studies them freely. We never impose theslightest obstacle. We enthusiastically assist him,often leaving our own work to facilitate his.Whenever he asks to take home one or moreobjects for further study, he has full freedom to doso. From the day when the painter he hired fromArgos came to Charvati, Mr Schliemann has continuedto take freely from our lodgings all theobjects he chooses to depict. We eagerly humorhim in these matters, asking from him only thenumber of the objects taken and their return afterthey have been drawn.”Following the crisis described in this report, theexcavations were halted for three days (28, 29 and 30August) and then resumed on 31 August. From Stamatakis’next report to the General Ephoria it isapparent that the situation has not improved:“The work proceeds in utter confusion. After theresumption of excavation, things went smoothlyfor three days. But after the arrival of Mr Phinticles,the Vice-President of the Archaeological Society,the confusion returned. The workmen weresuddenly increased from 80 to 130. The sites beingexcavated were increased from three to four, witha total of seven subgroups, so that the supervisionand proper recording of the finds is exceedinglydifficult. I have often spoken about this lack oforder to Mr Schliemann but he does not listen tome at all. Mr Schliemann conducts the excavationsas he wishes, paying no regard either to the law orto the instructions of the Ministry or to any official.Everywhere and at all times he prefers to lookto his own advantage.”Schliemann was still trying to excavate the areaimmediately within the Lion Gate, which Stamatakishad put off limits for fear that the side walls mightcollapse and damage the gate itself.“Twice in my absence he started on this workand twice was prevented with considerable unpleasantness.He is rushing to finish the excavations.This is the source of the great confusion andthe daily squabbles and differences with me.Last Wednesday at 10 a.m. a door-sill appearedin the course of excavation and beside it a smallcolumn-base. As soon as it appeared, I told theworkmen and the supervisor that the stone wasnot to be removed from its place until we hadexcavated down to its depth and its emplacementcould be examined and recorded. At 3 o’ c1ock MrSchliemann instructed the workmen, contrary to