Troy (Hisarlik)
placeHisarlik in Turkey is the archaeological site identified as Homer's Troy — multiple cities layered upon each other across four thousand years.
The Myth
Heinrich Schliemann began excavating Hisarlik in 1870, identifying it as Troy. He found multiple layers: Troy I-IX, spanning from 3000 BC to Roman times. Troy II contained gold jewellery Schliemann called "Priam's treasure" (actually a thousand years too early). Troy VIIa, destroyed by fire around 1180 BC, is the most likely candidate for Homer's Troy. The debate about which Troy is Homer's continues. UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1998.
Symbols
Fun Fact
Schliemann smuggled "Priam's treasure" out of Turkey. It ended up in Berlin, was seized by the Soviets in 1945, and is now in Moscow — still contested.
Explore Further
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