Discovery and Discovery and excavation of Troyexcavation of Troy

CalvertCalvert

Frank Calvert had identified the mound Frank Calvert had identified the mound at Hissarlik as the likely location of the at Hissarlik as the likely location of the ruins of Troy before 1864. Calvert ruins of Troy before 1864. Calvert worked with Charles Maclaren in 1847 worked with Charles Maclaren in 1847 who went on to publish a book that who went on to publish a book that identified Troy as being at Hissarlik. identified Troy as being at Hissarlik. The British Museum was asked to fund The British Museum was asked to fund an excavation of Hissarlik by Calvert in an excavation of Hissarlik by Calvert in 1863 but never agreed.1863 but never agreed.

SchliemannSchliemann

Schliemann initially was interested in Schliemann initially was interested in excavating another site. In 1868 he met excavating another site. In 1868 he met Frank Calvert and heard of preliminary Frank Calvert and heard of preliminary digs at Hissarlik that he became digs at Hissarlik that he became convinced that Troy was located at convinced that Troy was located at Hissarlik. Hissarlik.

The preliminary excavation began in The preliminary excavation began in 1870 and continued until 1873. The dig 1870 and continued until 1873. The dig was to be completed in cooperation with was to be completed in cooperation with Calvert.Calvert.

Schliemann dug an immense trench Schliemann dug an immense trench into the mound, removing hundreds into the mound, removing hundreds of tonnes of dirt and rubble, of tonnes of dirt and rubble, demolishing earlier structures which demolishing earlier structures which stood in his way. stood in his way.

Calvert had wanted a series of small Calvert had wanted a series of small trenches to investigate the site. trenches to investigate the site.

Schliemann identified four successive Schliemann identified four successive strata below classical Ilium, and he strata below classical Ilium, and he came to the conclusion that the came to the conclusion that the Homeric one was the second from Homeric one was the second from the bottom because it had been the bottom because it had been destroyed by fire.destroyed by fire.

Calvert pointed out that the period of Calvert pointed out that the period of the Trojan War was actually missing the Trojan War was actually missing from Schliemanns find which went from from Schliemanns find which went from prehistoric stone implements to pottery prehistoric stone implements to pottery of the Archaic period a gap of 1000 of the Archaic period a gap of 1000 years.years.

Schliemann accused Calvert of stabbing Schliemann accused Calvert of stabbing him in the back but then Schliemann him in the back but then Schliemann discovered the “Treasure of Priam”.discovered the “Treasure of Priam”.

It was the finding of the treasure that It was the finding of the treasure that helped Schliemann’s claims about helped Schliemann’s claims about discovering Troy to be taken discovering Troy to be taken seriously.seriously.

It is this that has given rise to the It is this that has given rise to the question of whether the jewels question of whether the jewels actually were discovered or planted actually were discovered or planted on the site.on the site.

Later excavations of this level have Later excavations of this level have unearthed gold in nearly every room unearthed gold in nearly every room and it is likely that Schliemann and it is likely that Schliemann uncovered the gold Treasure of Priam uncovered the gold Treasure of Priam over a period and kept it quite so he over a period and kept it quite so he could smuggle it out of Turkey. He could smuggle it out of Turkey. He wrote up the report once he was in wrote up the report once he was in Athens and the alterations to his journal Athens and the alterations to his journal led investigators to think it a led investigators to think it a concoction.concoction.

Schliemann went on to excavate Schliemann went on to excavate Mycenae and Tirryns in Greece. He Mycenae and Tirryns in Greece. He learnt from his experience in Troy and learnt from his experience in Troy and undertook planned an effective digs.undertook planned an effective digs.

Schliemann invented the new world of Schliemann invented the new world of Archaeology as after Troy he published Archaeology as after Troy he published his journals and sketches and plans “in his journals and sketches and plans “in the hope my colleagues might be able the hope my colleagues might be able to explain points obscure to me”.to explain points obscure to me”.

DorpfeldDorpfeld

In 1893 Dorpfeld took charge of the In 1893 Dorpfeld took charge of the Troy dig. He opened up the south Troy dig. He opened up the south side of Hissarlik and struck walls side of Hissarlik and struck walls more magnificent than anything more magnificent than anything Schliemann had found. Schliemann had found.

Inside the city he found five large Inside the city he found five large noble homes whose floor plan could noble homes whose floor plan could be recovered and others that were be recovered and others that were more badly destroyed.more badly destroyed.

Everywhere he found Mycenaean Everywhere he found Mycenaean pottery so the city had close ties to pottery so the city had close ties to the Mycenaean world. He dated it the Mycenaean world. He dated it from 1500 to 1000BC, near enough to from 1500 to 1000BC, near enough to the traditional date of the Trojan War the traditional date of the Trojan War and it had ended in violence. Walls and it had ended in violence. Walls had fallen and there had been a great had fallen and there had been a great fire. The world hailed the discovery of fire. The world hailed the discovery of the ruins of Homer’s Troy.the ruins of Homer’s Troy.

Dorpfeld dated his site using the Dorpfeld dated his site using the Mycenaean pottery. At that time the Mycenaean pottery. At that time the dating of this pottery was still in its dating of this pottery was still in its infancy. infancy.

BlegenBlegen

Blegen excavated Troy from 1932 to Blegen excavated Troy from 1932 to 1938. He established about fifty 1938. He established about fifty lesser strata layers within the nine lesser strata layers within the nine major cities at Hissarlik. major cities at Hissarlik.

He examined Troy VI the layer He examined Troy VI the layer Dorpfeld identifed as Homer’s Troy Dorpfeld identifed as Homer’s Troy and realised that the destruction was and realised that the destruction was not man made. Walls had shifted and not man made. Walls had shifted and internal walls had fallen and lay internal walls had fallen and lay covered by other debris.covered by other debris.

Troy VI had been destroyed by an Troy VI had been destroyed by an earthquake not by Agamemnon’s earthquake not by Agamemnon’s army. army.

Troy VIIa was occupied by the same Troy VIIa was occupied by the same people but the elegant building with people but the elegant building with open space had gone. They were open space had gone. They were replaced by shanties, squashed up replaced by shanties, squashed up against the walls. against the walls.

Blegen concluded that the city had Blegen concluded that the city had been forced to shelter a much larger been forced to shelter a much larger population inside the walls.population inside the walls.

In doorways he found parts of a In doorways he found parts of a human skeleton covered by burnt human skeleton covered by burnt timbers, stones and debris from timbers, stones and debris from houses which had collapsed on its houses which had collapsed on its victims. victims.

The destruction by fire, the traces of The destruction by fire, the traces of bodies, the arrowhead he located bodies, the arrowhead he located together with the overcrowding together with the overcrowding conditions indicated a community conditions indicated a community which was under siege. which was under siege.

Blegen concluded from the evidence Blegen concluded from the evidence that Troy VIIa was destroyed very soon that Troy VIIa was destroyed very soon after the earthquake destroyed Troy VI after the earthquake destroyed Troy VI and dated Troy VIIa to the middle and dated Troy VIIa to the middle rather than late 13rather than late 13thth Century BC. Century BC.

The problem remains that The problem remains that Schliemann, Dorpfeld and Blegen all Schliemann, Dorpfeld and Blegen all found what they were looking for – the found what they were looking for – the ruins of Homer’s Troy. ruins of Homer’s Troy.

That Hissarlik is the site of Troy is not That Hissarlik is the site of Troy is not disputed but what level is Homer’s disputed but what level is Homer’s Troy can not be answered with any Troy can not be answered with any certainity.certainity.

Troy VIIa is our current best guess.Troy VIIa is our current best guess.

KorfmanKorfman

Korfman began his excavation in 1988.Korfman began his excavation in 1988. He located the historical coastline of He located the historical coastline of

the bay at Troy. He investigated a the bay at Troy. He investigated a cone-shaped tumulus which in ancient cone-shaped tumulus which in ancient times would have been on a times would have been on a promontory which ran nearly a mile promontory which ran nearly a mile into the sea. This was the site that into the sea. This was the site that classical Greeks considered to be the classical Greeks considered to be the tomb of Achilles.tomb of Achilles.

On the old coast he located fifty On the old coast he located fifty cremations and burials with cremations and burials with Mycenaean grave goods dating from Mycenaean grave goods dating from Troy VI. These are likely to be from a Troy VI. These are likely to be from a merchant enclave.merchant enclave.

Is this the Greek cemetery that Is this the Greek cemetery that Homer refers to.Homer refers to.

Korfmann has identified that the bay Korfmann has identified that the bay provided a protected anchorage and provided a protected anchorage and had fresh water behind the sand had fresh water behind the sand dunes. (Taking core samples and dunes. (Taking core samples and analysing the soil content).analysing the soil content).

This supports Homers claim that a This supports Homers claim that a lagoon lay between the Greeks and lagoon lay between the Greeks and the river Scamander.the river Scamander.

The outer defences f Troy VI have The outer defences f Troy VI have been discovered about 400 yards been discovered about 400 yards away from the main walls. A away from the main walls. A defensive ditch with mudbrick defensive ditch with mudbrick fortifications and a further timber fortifications and a further timber palisade with a wall walk. palisade with a wall walk.

Religious idols from Mycenae and Religious idols from Mycenae and Anatolia have been located outside Anatolia have been located outside the main wallsthe main walls

Most important Korfmann has found Most important Korfmann has found evidence to suggest that Troy was evidence to suggest that Troy was occupied from its earliest times occupied from its earliest times through to the time of Constantine the through to the time of Constantine the Great – a period of close to 3000 years.Great – a period of close to 3000 years.

Evidence suggests that Troy was a Evidence suggests that Troy was a major center of commerce between major center of commerce between Mycenaean Greece and the Hittite Mycenaean Greece and the Hittite Empire.Empire.