Excavation of Troy

Heinrich Schliemann Heinrich Schliemann was a German businessman and an AMATEUR archaeologist. He was the archaeological excavator of Troy, Mycenae and Tiryns His work made many believe that the Troy of legend reflected actual historical events.

Frank Calvert and Schliemann The archaeological site of Troy was not in fact found by Schliemann, but by Frank Calvert. Calvert had claimed he had already found the historical site of Homeric Troy in Hissarlik. Hissarlik was a region east of Turkey, located within farmland owned by Calvert’s family.

The excavation In 1868, Schliemann and Calvert found a series of ancient cities dating from the Bronze age to the Roman period. Schliemann, believing that Homeric Troy must’ve been in the lower levels, dug through the upper levels of the site. Schliemann believed he had found Troy at level 2 of the site.

Schliemann’s Troy II Troy II showed an increase in sophistication and wealth in Troy. Troy II was destroyed by a huge fire. Precious objects were left in place but no human bodies were found. Included in the finds were beautiful craftsmanship of female jewelry and ornaments, indicating high status of females Imported goods – stone axes, copper and bronze weapons

Treasure of Priam Schliemann went on to crown his achievement by unearthing the Treasure of Prima which consisted of golden pendants, earrings, bracelets, rings and two diadems. Schliemann claimed he saw the treasures, which he then passed on to his wife. His wife was actually in Athens at the time of the discovery.

Troy II artifacts

Troy II artifacts

Troy II artifacts

Schliemann’s errors Schliemann began excavating Troy before Archaeology was considered a professional field with standards in placed. Schliemann employed an extremely destructive way of excavating. He dug a huge trench through many layers of the stratigraphy, destroying large walls in the process Accused of ‘salting’ finds. Schliemann was never precise about the location of his finds.

Importance of Schliemann’s finds Although Schliemann had made mistakes, he did find evidence of a Bronze age civilisation shrouded in myth. Some information in Homer had been authenticated by Schliemann’s finds. Homer described things such as bronze swords, chariots, boar’s tusk helmets and great shields, which Schliemann either found, or found frescoes depicting them.

Troy VIIa Houses rebuilt in haste, which were crowded in the streets and beside a great city wall. Fragments of human remains in houses and streets. A twisted skeleton with a crushed skull has been found. A huge amount of storage jars set in the floors of houses have been found. Based on pottery found, it is believed to be from mid to late 13th century – Trojan war 1282. Troy VII was thought to be a hilltop fort

Troys TROY II Well built citadel with 10 metre high walls. Period of economic growth. Development of pottery and metallurgy. Manny treasures found Destruction by fire TROY VI Huge fortress. Stone walls, towers and palace. Mycenaean pottery found. Lower town was surrounded by a ditch and palisade. Abundant storage jars

Conclusion of Korfmann Troy 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 Troy was also known as Wilusa, a regional power which became a vassal of the Hittites in the 13th century BC

Schliemann at Mycenae After his excavations at Troy, using the work of Pausanias, an ancient Greek travel writer, Schliemannn excavated Mycenae. Mycenae was described by Homer as ‘rich in gold’. Myceane was the home of Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks at the time of the Trojan war.. Within the walls of the Mycenaean citadel he discovered a circle of shaft graves.

Shaft Graves at Mycenae Graves consisted of 15 skeletons covered in gold. Schliemann announced ‘I do not for a moment hesitate to proclaim that I have found here the sepulchres which tradition attributes to the king of men, Agamemnon’. SCHLIEMANN WAS WRONG AGAIN Bodies belonged to a much earlier period in Greek history.