Archeology at Hissarlik Flashcards
List the 5 archeologists:
Frank Calvert Heinrich Schliemann Wilhelm Dorpfeld Carl Blegen Manfred Korfmann
When did Frank Calvert start dig?
- 1865, british archeologist, dug trial trenches in mound known as Hissarlik.
Where did Calvert dig?
- Hissarlik, situation in Troad area in NW Asia Minor
- He was convinced Hissarlik was site of ancient Troy
When did Schliemann secure permission to excavate Hissarlik?
1868- Schliemann visited Calvert and secured permission
When did Schliemann begin excavation?
1871-73 and 1878-9 (period over 3 years)
who was Heinrich Schliemann?
German amateur archaeologist and self made millionaire with dream to discover ancient city of Troy
How did Schliemann first set about to finding city of troy?
with the faith of the literal truth of Homer’s account of war in Iliad and Schliemann set out with homer in one hand and stop watch in another, pas=cing out distance in the Troad.
Why did Schliemann begin excavating at Hissarlik?
on advice of Calvert and matching Homer’s description
What did Schliemann discover?
excavated hill and discovered ruins on ancient cities dating from Bronze Age to Roman Period = 9 major stratas of settlement, labelling earliest level 1 and most recent level 9
Although Schliemann only found up to 7 cities superimposed on one another.
What did Schliemann uncover and what was wrong with his excavations?
- uncovered troy had long history of settlement from c. 3000BC.
However, Schliemann’s destructive method of excavation, e.g. digging huge trench in middle, destroying large walls in process -> difficult for other excavators
What did Schliemann find on the 31st may, 1873?
between level 2 and 3, evidence of burning and destruction, concluding that this was Troy of Homer that Greeks sacked and burned (either Troy 1 or later Troy 2) - identification of this was widely accepted at time
What did Schliemann also claimed to have found?
in 1873, claim to have found great treasure he called, ‘Priam’s treasure’/’treasure of Priam’ after Trojan king who attempted to defend his city against Greek attack
what was in the Priam’s treasure?
golden pendants, earings, bracelets, rings and diadems, as well as cups, cauldrons, cases more than 8 700 pieces in all
What were the doubts in the Priams treasure?
- doubt about authenticity
- check of dates and events dont support Schliemann’s claims
- His wife was actually in Athens at time of discovery, considering he made account of her taking it out with him)
- some items believed to be planted by himself and dramatically discovered = ‘salting’ evidence
what did Schliemann later recover in level 6?
large buildings/walls similar to those in Mycenaean and Tiryns with evidence of Mycenaean pottery
When did Schliemann die?
December 1890, no further excavations done
importance of Schliemann’s finds?
although made mistakes, he found evidence of previously unknown Bronze Age civilisation that had existed between c.1600 - 1100 BC.
Some info of Homer was authenticated by his finds such as bronze swords, chariots, boar’s tusk helmet and great shields, either as artefacts or depicted in fresoces
What are some things in Homer;s account that have not being proven by Schliemann?
- still disrecpencies, inaccuracies and anachronisms in Homer’s account
What do historians agree Homer’s Iliad is?
agree that his account id a ‘confused amalgam’ of period dating from c. 1600BC - 800BC.
How was troy kept alive?
in myths, legends, literature but location unknown
many didn’t believe existence
What would have been problems faced when looking for troy
3000 years would have changed topography and coastline of area dramatically.
When did Wilhelm Dorpfield excavate?
after Schliemann in 1893-4
What did Dorpfield uncover?
Schliemann discovered 7 cities and believed Troy II was Troy of Homer, But he identified 2 more cities superimposed on another (9 levels now = 4 000 yrs of inhabitation
Which layer to Dorpfield identify as Troy?
Troy VI as found wide streets, large houses, defensive walls, and watch towers and evidence of destruction by fire. But Blegan state evidence of fire could be related to earthquake damage than warfare
When did Carl Blegen excavate and who is he?
1932-8
archeologist from Uni of Cincinnati
What did Blegen do in his excavation?
dug in areas untouched by Schliemann and Dorpfield
established a more scientific sequence of buildings and artefacts
What did Blegen identify as real Troy of Homer?
Troy VIIa
Scholars disagree, believe it to Troy VI.
Troy VIIa doesn’t fit Homer’s description. Its houses were poorly built and cramped but walls strong.
The city appeared to have been destroyed by fire after 30 yrs of habitation
Who is Manfred Korfmann and when did he excavate?
from 1988
German archeologist, Professor of Uni of Tubingen
What was Korfmann able to do?
with large team of international experts and latest tech, able to reveal new areas of site for excavation and study
What possible evidence of battle was found by Korfmann?
bronze arrowheads and fire damaged human remains buried in layers dated to 12th century BC. (level 6-7a)
What did Korfmann discover in August 1993?
using magnometer survey of fields below fort, deep ditch located and excavated among ruins of later Greek and romans history. Verified existence of lower city/settlement from 17th-early 12th century BC (level 6, 7a)
what did the ditch uncovered by Korfmann mark? What did the latter city date to?
outer defences or larger city than previously thought. (u shaped fortification ditch)
the latter city dated to approx. 1250 BC (Homeric city of Troy)
What did Korfmann find outside citadell walls?
found items of late bronze age period such as pithoi (storage jars) and evidence of fire
What evidence of conflict was found in the lower city by Korfmann?
- arrowheads (close quarter fighting)
- skeletons ( burned with no proper burial)
- sling pellets ( assembled by defenders of Troy and abandoned when lost) could crush skull with it
Korfmann’s find of gate of citadel?
construction of gate of citadel mistake
cant close off gateway therefore cant prevent invading army
conclusion that maybe it wasn’t the outside wall of troy and more bigger (outer/lower city)
city extended beyond citadel wall towards field
