Excavations of Homeric Troy Mrs Grahams Ancient History

Evolution of Archaeology

Archaeologists of Troy

Schliemann’s Diary

Schliemans sketch of Troy

Schlieman’s Legacy Schliemann was very good at stratigraphy, once he got started, not so good at architecture. His digging methods were crude, but he had a good strategy. He gathered a team of experts to the site: photographers, surveyers, physical anthropologists, experts on numismatics & ancient history, experts on plant remains. This practice helps contribute to his title of ‘father of scientific archaeology. Schliemann’s assistant Wihelm Dorpfeld, a German architect, identified Troy’s nine basic strata- a scheme that some archaeologists still follow today

Treasures of Troy

Blegen and Troy Blegen returned to Troy, digging there from 1932-8, hoping that by bringing to bear the latest scientific techniques, he could find the Homeric level. He fine-tuned the stratigraphy, re-examined Troy V strata, which was Dorpfeld’s candidate for the Homeric Troy. Blegen disagreed, thought the destruction was natural (earthquake: shift in foundation walls, rubble patterns, reoccupation of the place as a shanty town with refugees, etc.). Carl used highly refined excavation methods to differentiate 46 construction phases or sub strata. In untouched strata above Troy VI, Blegen discovered Troy VIIa, which seemed to show evidence of a siege and fall. Expecting to find this, Blegen declared it Homeric Troy. His most famous finds were a large palace from Troy VI, called the Pillar House and a Greek Roman sanctuary

Pillar House from TroyVI

Korfmann- New Focus, New Technology “We are no longer interested in clarifying whether the Trojan War and the ensuing destruction of Troy VI around 1250 BC - really took place .” Manfred Korfmann

Focus of New Archaeology To Korfmann and his colleagues, the investigation of the ancient world is not about finding spectacular objects or evidence for the war. Rather they aim at a thick description of history of the city and its environs; that is they seek to reveal, as completely as possible, all the material evidence that bears on life in Troy and the role Troy played in binding continents and cultures.

NASA Satellite image of Troy

Aerial View of Troy

Modern Archaeological Methods in Troy Dating samples Comparison of ceramic finds. Determining the amount of radioactive isotopes (C-14), thermoluminescence, dendrochronology (annual growth rings of wooden finds) Reconstruction of ancient Chemical analysis of samples, isotope trade routes examinations (lead, rare earths) Diet of the indigenous Statistical compilation of animal populatin bones and plant seeds, food chain analysis (trace elements and isotopes in human and animal bones) Reconstruction of landscape Depth drillings ("Archaeomog"), geomorphology, sedimentology Myth and poetry Philological study of ancient writings, oral tradition, mythological research Discovery of notable Geophysical survey (disturbances in the excavation sites Earth's magnetic field caused by walls, pottery or organic material). Drillings ("Archaeomog") Survey, documentation Topographic survey, orthoscopic photo- grammetry, computer-assisted recording of finds Visualization of the results Three-dimensional representation and animation using powerful computers.

Magnetometers and Archaeomogs

Cesium Magnetometer Using an electronic apparatus that measures electrical resistance in the ground Hans Jansen had charted large areas of the lower city, however it could only measure changes in soil composition to 3feet. In 1992 scientists began using a cesium magnetometer, the only one in the world, to detect disturbances in the earths magnetic field to a depth of 10 feet below the surface. The resulting data are processed and graphically displayed by a computer. It was with this instrument that Korfmann was able to discover and track the ditch

Lower City of Troy

Bronze Age pottery shards

Wilusian coins

Trading Connections

Conclusions of Korfmann The results do not conflict with the state of Homeric scholarship Troia was An important city within the region A Bronze Age city, which in all essentials, as far as the layout of the city and the citadel, as well as the diagnostic finds was orientated towards Anatolia rather than the Aegean Troia was also known as Wilusa, a regional power which became a vassal of the Hittites in the 13th century BC The existance of a lower city can no longer be contested

The Future Direction of Trojan Archaeology After the end of the Cold War, the Troad was no longer a military zone and land speculators made plans to build vast vacation resorts on the site The plans were halted in 1996 when the Turkish Government declared Troy a national historical park Troy has become not only an interdisciplinary project but also an international one, with scientists representing as many as 13 nationalities, allowing for free exchange of information In 1998 Troy was added to UNESCO’Slist of world cultural heritage sites and a large museum was completed Finds from Troy have been distributed among more than 50 museums and collections around the world. The Trojan gold now held in the Pushkin museum is claimed by both Germany and Russia Troy’s promise is to return to what it once was; a place of cultural exchange between east and west , north and south