Heinrich Schliemann was a German man who declared himself as a pioneer in archaeology, and he dedicated his life into finding legendary Troy city mentioned in Iliad by Homer. Heinrich Schliemann and Treasures of Troy are always remembered together today.
Schliemann started excavations in today’s Troy in 1871 and went on digging deeper everyday till 1873. He believed he would eventually come to the original Troy if he goes on excavating.
He came across the treasure he was looking for on the 27th of May, and he named it Priam’s Treasure. Today many experts claim this treasure belongs to one of the layers of Troy was lived much later than the real Trojan war.
Two years after the excavation began, he believed that the gold items he found among the walls were Priamos’ treasure. Schliemann, who wrote in his diary that he would never have taken the works without the help of his wife Sophia, smuggled the works to Greece.
The intention of Schliemann was to leave the stolen treasures in Russia after learning that the Ottoman authorities had sued him in Greece. However, after the Russian Tsar refused to accept the stolen artifacts, he had to return to Germany.
The next hosting country for Trojan artifacts was Germany. Following the attack of the Red Army into Berlin during the second world war, the treasures were taken to the USSR as spoils of war. The artifacts brought to the USSR did not contain the entire Trojan treasures. Treasures were spread all over the world. Some Trojan treasures found in Russia today is on display at the Pushkin Museum.
Book Tour Guide to See the Treasures of Troy
Even if many treasured were taken away from Troy ancient city in Turkey today, there is still a great amount of artifacts to be seen in Troy Museum and Troy Ancient City. You can always write to me to learn more on Troy and also to book a professional licensed Turkish tour guide to Troy. See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
