Troy and the Trojan War

Excavations at Troy

• Schliemann began excavations in 1870– “Treasure of Priam” found in

1873• Dorpfeld assisted and then took

over in 1890– first to actually distinguish the 9

levels of the city – first color-coded site plan ever,

to record the city’s 9 levels of habitation

• Blegen 1932-38– found arrowheads and signs of

burning destruction on level VI, first to propose that level as Homer’s Troy

– Subdivided Dorpfeld’s 9 levels into 40 (now 47 total)

Schliemann’s Great Trench

Dorpfeld’s Site Plan of Troy

Diagram of the 9 cities based on Dorpfeld’s plan

this red one is Homer’s Troy →

9 levels, with I being the lowest, on bedrock, IX being the most recent (Roman occupation)

City of Troy based on Korfmann’s work

The “Treasure of Priam,” or “Helen’s Jewels”

The “Mask of Agamemnon”

Other gold finds from Grave

Circle A5 of the graves included gold grave masks

19 total bodies discovered, including 2 children (see next slide)

More finds from

Grave Circle

A

Many of the dead were covered with gold sheathing like these two “suits” for children

An Ivory Figurine and Gold Objects

← The so-called Cup of Nestor