TROYA

PREFACE
Troy which has an important position on the land of Anatolia where the civilization of the world has been born and had flourished has always attracted the interest of the archaeologists around the world for almost a hundred years. Iliad and Odysseus, two masterpieces in the world literature, tell about this city. The excavation which was started by Schliemann in 1870 was carried on by Dorpfeld and Blegen, and Korfmann has been continuing the diggings at present.
Every year thousands of tourists have been coming to see this worldly-known famous city. Though a lot of books and articles have been published about Troy, still thinking that the publications which have Troy known to visitors are not enough, it urged us to prepare this book. This book was written by benefiting from all the scientific books and articles published in the last years related with Troy, excluding scientific terms for the visitors to understand easily. Our main purpose at writing this book is that Troy should be known not only by scientific world, but also it should give information to everybody who wish to recognize it.
Especially Prof. Korfmann, the leader of the excavation team of Troy, with many important scientists of the world, have unearthed many secrets of Troy since 1988, therefore we got so many information from this research.
We'd like to thank him for his contribution to Troy and to the world of archaeology. Besides we'd also like to thank the Qanakkale Directorate and their personnel that provide the protection for and take care of this antique city which is one of the most important cultural descendants of the world.

1-Geographical Position of Troy in History
About 15000 years ago the general scenery of Troy and its environment was as follows : As the sea-level of the Dardanelles was about 100 meters lower than today's, the Strait was like a salty river flowing from the Marmara Sea to the Aegean Sea. Karamenderes and Dumrek streams, the water of which was sweet were flowing into the Stream. The changes in the climate, particularly thawing of the icebergs in the north caused the sea-levels of the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea rise 60 meters high.
By the rising of the seas, though the level had risen 80 m. 7000 years ago, comparing the sea-level of the present time, it was 20 meters lower. The seas had reached at the present day level 6500-7000 years ago, and even it was two meters higher then. In other words when Troy was built first time, Troy-l andTroy-II were at the end of the bay opening to the Dardanelles.
As time went on the allivium washed down by the Karamenderes and Dumrek streams began to fill this bay gradually, and about 1000 years ago, at the time of Troy-VI, the coastline took the shape of today. While the city was a coast-dwelled habitation in the periods of Troy-l and Troy-ll, it was almost 3-4 km. inland in the period of Troy-VI. Therefore the Achaeans who came to besiege the city landed on the little bay, besige, on the west of Troy and set up their tents there.
The Karamenderes and Dumrek streams, on the one hand, enriched Troy by watering the fertile plains in the surroundings, but on the other hand, they prepared the end of Troy by forming marshy lands and as a result by increasing malaria gradually. Till 1950 those streams which were following irregularly were got under control by means of canals. At the present time Troy and its surroundings which are one of the most fertile plains of Turkey has been taken under the protection as a National Park because of the intensive cultural remains it contained.

The General History of the District and Troy
In all the historical periods the Dardanellen Strait which is at the end of northwest side of Anatolia that has always become a bridge between the cultures connecting the East and West, and the South and North was the district which was observed the most intensive influentiality because of its position. The Dardanelles is a seaway between Aegean and Mediterranean, connecting Anatolia with the Balkans and Europe on land in the north.
The most strategic spot of this district is the delta of Karamenderes (Skamandros) river in the northwest, so the first settlement had been Kumtepe in the northwest of Troy, a few kilometres far from it in the years 4000 B.C. . The first settlement on the Hisarlik hill had begun in 3000 B.C.. On the other hand through the latest explorations carried out on the surface in the last years it was discovered that the dwelling began around Troy and also on the coast of the Dardanellen in 2500 B.C.. But Trojan city among the others has developed more owing to its ruling position over the Strait and also because of being built on a fertile land, therefore it rose the position to domineer over the other cities. Besides as the biggest city which was unearthed in the northwestern Anatolia is Troy, all the Bronze Age chronology between the years 3000-1000 B.C , has been arranged according to Trojan culture-layers.

The most glorious era of Troy is between the years 1700-1250 B.C. , namely that Troy-VI period. After the city and its district were destroyed and sacked by the migration from the north in 1000 B.C , many dwelling-sites were no longer used. At the beginning of 8th c. B.C. Greek colonization and other settlements started mostly on the remains of the Bronze Age. The City which was founded on the Trojan ruins was named llus, the son of Tros, so it is known as Ilion-llium in the Greek-Roman periods.
The district was under the rule of the Lydians in 6th c. B.C. , then was governed by the Persians and the Tyrians, the supporters of the Persians. Xerxes, the Persian king, visited Troy in 480 B.C before passing through the Straights to Europe, and sacrificed 1000 bulls for the goddess Athena and other Trojan heroes in 334 B.C. . As soon as Alexander the Great arrived Anatolia, he paid homage to the tomb of Achielleus whose story and other heroes of Homeros he had read in his childhood and made a pattern of him.
When western Anatolia came under the power of the Roman empire in 2nd c. B.C., the Romans showed the necessary respect for this city where their founder visited too. Though the city was completely devastated by the Roman general, Fimbria , in the battles of Mitridates, it was re-constructed by Sulla in 85 B.C. Many Roman emporers like Ceasar , Augustos, Caraccalla visited the city and had many huge buildings erected ; in 4 B.C. though the Great Constantinus chose this city as the capitol of the Eastern Roman Empire, afterwards he gave it up because of the marshy land formed by the rivers around, and also because of losing its importance strategically.
During the period of the Byzantium Empire the city underwent much suffering, such as malaria, epidemics, wars, so that gradually the city became smaller and was deserted.
When the Turkish people migrated here, the city was in ruins. After Mehmet the

Conqueror, the Sultan of the Ottomans, who also read The Trojan Wars conquered Istanbul, he visited Troy and its district, and told the historians nearby that by conquering Istanbul he revenged the Trojans' defeat.

2-The Mythology about Troy
The Establishment, the Beauty Competition, Trojan Wars
Ellectra, the daughter of Atlas, together with Dardanos, the son of Zeus, were born in the Samotrake Island, and because of the flood occurred in the island, they fled to Anatolia on a raft. On these coast the son of Ida Mountain and of Skramandros river, namely Teuker ruled. Teuker gave his daughter and some parts of his land to Dardanos. Dardanos who became the king of his district after Teuker had a son named Tros. When Tros grew up and became the king after his father, he chose a


new district to built his own city. This district, which he chose without knowing where it was, was the place that the chief god, Zeus, had thrown Ate down the Olympos, the goddess of misfortune, and the daughter of the goddess of fight, Eris, by holding her hair. Supreme Zeus cursed her to bring misfortunes to the place where Ate was thrown on.
Tros had three sons. As one of the sons, Ganymedes, possessed a divine male beauty, he was carried away by Zeus in the shape of an eagle while he was grazing his flock of sheep on the Ida Mountain. The other son, Ilius or llos, tried hard to make the city beautiful, powerful and rich after he became king. Owing to the fertility of the plains and the productivity of the Ida Mountain Troy turned to be the most beautiful and richest city known in the world then. In ancient times near and far enemies imagined to capture the city.
Laomedon who enthroned in place of his father was indeed a bad miserable king. As he tried to deceive Apollon and Poseidon, those gods sent him a monster as a punishment. The girls of the city were given to the monster as a sacrifice one by one by lot. Some time later the King promised to give his horses to Hercules who was passing by if he killed the monster. After Hercules killed the monster, he gave up the agreement. Then Hercules sacked all the city and killed the king. Only Padarkes, the son of the king, was called Priamos that meant "re-bought".
Priamos who married to Hekabe, the daughter of the Thracian king, had more than fifty children. On the other hand Troy became the most beautiful and richest city in the world. But the fate of Priamos and of the city was decided otherwise. When Hekabe was pregnant to her second child, Paris, she saw in her dream that she bore a torch instead of a baby and this torch burned the city of Troy. Hekabe told this queer dream to Priamos. When Priamos re-told this dream to the priests, they declared that this child would bring misfortune to Troy.
On the one hand there was his beloved newly-born son, on the other hand his beautiful city and his people, but the uncertainty of Priamos didn't keep on long. Though her poor mother begged her husband, he decided to put an end to his son. But as he couldn't bear the sight of the son's killing in front of his eyes, he gave the son to his most dependable servant to kill him at a distant place. The servant left the child on a lonely spot, where no man stepped, for the wild animals to tear into pieces. Later on the shepherds of the Ida Mountain found the child and carried him away, and brought him up. Paris became a handsome young man like Ganymedes, and at the same time as he was powerful and watchful, he looked after the flocks of sheep properly. So that he was named Alexandros. He married to Oinone, the fairy of the Ida Mountain, and lived happily.
One day the men of Priamos carried away one of the finest bull in the herd of Paris. This bull would be given as a prize in the competitions held in mourning for his son who Priamos thought he was dead. Paris followed the men and reached Troy. As he was the first winner of the competitions, he won his bull back. The beauty and dexterity of the young man caught the attention of Priamos, thereupon he cross-examined his servants. As he learned that this young man was their own son, left to death on the mountain by the servants, he took him back into the family.
Paris who learned that he was the son of the king was always thinking the Ida Mountain, and as he was fond of the rural life, he could not endure living in the Palace, and from time to time he was grazing his herd on the Ida Mountain as before. One day while he was grazing his herd on the mountain, he saw three beautiful women together with a man coming near him. They were the three goddesses: Athena, Hera and Aphrodite with Hermes.
These three goddesses had come to Paris to request him to become an arbitrator.

Beautiful Helene
Paris who hadn't seen any other beautiful woman except Oinone, the forest fairy, in his life was shocked at the sight of these three beautiful goddesses. While Paris was pondering upon in giving the golden apple, handed over him by Hermes, to one of the goddesses who was the most beautiful, the goddesses promised him different gifts. Hera , the wife of Zeus, offered him a wonderful fate and wealth, and the rule of the Asian continent; Athena promised the wisdom and the victory in wars ; Aphrodite promised to give the most beautiful woman on the earth.
The poor shepherd, Paris, couldn't take his eyes off Aphrodite who always displayed her whole beauty in her nakedness generously. Without hesitating much he gave the apple to Aphrodite. Most probably he had won the heart of the most beautiful woman, but on the other hand he shouldered the hate and enmity of the other two women. This action of Paris was a prefex for the fate of Troy to turn into miseries. Those goddesses who didn't please of the decision of Paris determined to destroy Troy and his family.
In those days the most beautiful woman accepted by the public opinion was Helene, the wife of Menelaos who was the brother of Agamemnon, the king of Argos. While Helene, the daughter of Zeus and of Leda, was living with her husband happily, her fate changed with the visiting of Paris, the son of the king of Troy, Priamos, as an ambassador to the palace. Paris seduced this beautiful woman by the help of Aphrodite and carried her by his ship to Troy while Menelaos was out of the palace.
When Menelaos came back, he learned the sinful deed of his visitor. Complaints and wailings spread all over Greece. Thereupon Menelaos and Agamemnon, kings and princes, together with all the Achaeans, flew into a rage and mobilized for war to revenge this sinful deed and bring Helene back. They swore an oath that they wouldn't break up until they captured and sacked Troy by ships collected in the port of Aolis. Many volunteers joined this army, hearing that this rich and famous city was going to be sacked. The abduction of Helene was a good reason to plunder troy which was famous for its wealth and grandeur.
Agamemnon became the commander of the army, waiting in the ships in the port of Aolis. Meanwhile there was no wind, so the navy couldn't set sail. The reason for this was that Agamemnon had killed a deer belonged to Artemis, the god, during a hunt. The oracle of the army told that Agamemnon should sacrifice his daughter to Artemis for his giving up his wrath. The other commanders persuaded Agamemnon to do what the god had ordered. So Agamemnon sent a message to his daughter, Iphigenia, who was near her mother, Klytemestre, to come for marrying to Achilleus. When Iphigenia arrived at Aolis, she learned the terrible truth and though she begged her father repeatedly, she couldn't change her fate. Thereupon this poor girl who was sacrificed fulfilled the wish of Artemis, and the god allowed the Achaeans to set sail.
The Achaean fleet didn't sail directly to Troy, but they began to plunder the cities and towns on the coast of western Anatolia. This military operation was not only against a corpse.
Priamos went to the Achaeans' tent taking some gifts with him. Hermes took him to Achilleus. Priamos threw himself on his mercy to beg for the dead body of his son. Achilleus, remembering his own father, felt compassion and returned Hector's dead body, not resisting the beggingsoftheold man.
The Trojans held a pompous funeral ceremony for their hero. Hector's corpse was burnt on a great fire. Then the remains of his bones were gathered and laid in a golden urn, and they piled thereon great stones and soil forming a huge hill. During the funeral ceremony the Achaeans didn't attack them showing their respect for their old foe.
The death of the greatest hero of Troy was a sign for the coming death ofAchilleus at the same time. After Achilleus re-entered the battle, the Trojans were forced to retreat into walls of Troy, and shot arrows from the walls as

they could not dare to fight face to face. One of the archers was Paris who caused the war. By the help of god Apollo one of the arrows of Paris just pierced into Achilleus' heel wounding him badly. The only vulnerable part of the body of Achilleus was his heel, bacause his mother Thetis had washed his son in the Styks river when he was born, therefore no weapon could pierce into his body except his heel, because his mother had washed him in the river by holding his heel.
The death of Achilleus created a deep mourning in the Achaean camp. They held a pompous funeral ceremony for Achilleus like Hector. There were competitions in honour of him. After voting of the commanders the armours and arms of Achilleus were given to Odysseus, but Aias was angry with this choice, because he had wanted the armours. Therefore he planned to kill Odysseus and the other Achaeans. But once again the gods intervened. Athena, driving him crazy, made Aias attack flocks of sheep in the surroundings. However when Aias became conscious of what he had done, he killed himself with his sword because of his shame.
The Achaeans were in despair because of the killings of Achilleus first, and then of Aias. When the army really resolved to retreat for the first time, Achaean Odysseus who was the wisest and most cunning of the Achaeans, and who also was loved very much by Athena sent for Philokteles, the best archer of Lymni, together with the son, Neoptelomos, of Achilleus. The arrow which was shot by Philokteles pierced the groin of Paris. At the death bed Paris remembered his lover, Oione, and wished her come and get him recovered. Unfortunately beautiful forest fairy had been offended by Paris. So Paris died as she did not come.
When the strong warriors of Achaean army got killed one by one, cunning Odysseus became the leader, and collected the army together. He declared that Troy should be conquered not by means of the force of arms, but by means of a cunning trick. The Achaeans made a huge wooden horse according to the plan of Odysseus. The famous commanders, still a live, hid in the wooden horse. The Achaeans left the wooden horse in front of the walls, and then as if they were retreating, they climbed up their ships and set sail. In fact they hid themselves behind Bozcaada.
First the Trojans couldn't believe that the war came to an end such a way. Then the warriors who they sent out for a research returned with the news that the Achaeans even gathering up their tents went away. The searching warriors brought with them Achaean Sinon. This man was a part of Odysseus' plan. Sinon told that the Achaeans believing they could not win the war escaped, and that they made this wooden horse for Athena thinking that the Trojans couldn't pull the horse into the walls. Only Lakoon, the priest, the son of Priamos, didn't believe in this trick. He tried to warn the Trojans not to take the horse into the walls. But the snakes which Poseidon, the god of sea, sent swallowed Lakoon and the children, so the Trojans supposed that if they didn't take the wooden horse in, the gods would be very angry with them. Odysseus had the horse made too big to enter the wall-gates. Therefore the Trojans had to break down some parts of the walls to take the horse in. When the horse was inside, they held festivals all day.
When most of the Trojans fell into a deep sleep, the fighters who had hidden the wooden horse came out of it, and opened the city-gates for the soldiers waiting outside. That night Troy was sacked and burnt. Blood flowed on the roads of Troy. The Achaeans killed all the males who could use arms. Even the ones who took shelter in the temples were dragged out. The son of Achilleus, Neoptelomos, murdered old Priamos in front of everybody.
Next day there were only captivated women. The little son of Hector, Atyanaks, was in her mother's arms. She thought that they wouldn't kill such a little child. But the Achaeans pulling the child out of her mother's embrace threw him down the walls, killing him at once. Specially the grudge of Neoptelomos never subsided. In the end he carried the little daughter, Polyksene, who once Achilleus loved, to his father's grave and he sacrificed the girl by cutting her throat.
Now there were no troy and no Trojans. Only Aineias with his father and son could run away from this massacre at night. Aineias would go to Italy, and was going to set up the great Roman Empire. Later Helene was forgiven by her husband, Menelaos. A few Trojan women, left alive, were captivated the Achaeans.
But this unheard cruelty of the Achaeans made the gods angry. Many Achaeans were lost in the sea while returning their country. Some of them were betrayed by his friends in their country, and some of them, like Odysseus, tried to return his country for years hopelessly.

Trojan Culture Layers Troy-l (3000-2500 B.C)
The settlement which covers a very small space was constructed on the main land on a hill 27 m. high above sea-level. The diameter of the city was 90 meters at the beginning of the construction. Excavations showed that Troy-l was formed of 10 layers. As it was brought to light in the excavations, the city people dwelled in the well-protected settlement surrounded by the strong walls and towers since the beginning of the early Bronze Age. The city had a strong appearance because of colossal gates and towers. The walls were enlarged in ring shapes one inside the other just like the onion skin. This enlargement shows that the city was built again and again after being broken down. The debris of the construction-layers of Troy-l is 4.5 m. high. There were buildings which belonged to the king or prince just in the middle of the city. It is possible to see the main remains of those buildings side by side inside the Trojan-l walls ; in fact they were restored later and were taken under protection. There was a portico in front of those houses, the foundations of which were built with stones put side by side like fish-scales, and the roof-tops of which were made of sun-dried clay bricks and in some rooms there was a fire-place.
The buildings in the middle were called "Megaron", and they were the oldest patterns of the Aegean architectural plans, and this main plan of the classical Greek architecture was used for thousands of years in the Aegean world.
The people of Troy-l had used bronze weapons and tools in addition to the stone tools which were polished. Bone tools, figurines, and baked potteries were excavated together with a lot of disks which show that the textile work was improved highly. As the potter's wheels were not known in Troy-l layer, potteries were made by hand Troy-l which was a coast-line city owing to its position had relation with the cultures of some islands, like Lesbos, Thermi (Lemnos) in addition to the far cultures such as Greece and Kyklat islands.

Troy-ll (2500-2200 B.C)
The second Troy was established on the ruins of the destruction of Troy-l. According to the excavations by Schliemann and Dorpfeld the city had three construction-layers, but it had seven construction-layers according toBrugel.
The construction layers increased with the present excavations made by Korfmann. Schliemann found out the treasure between Troy-ll layers, that he supposed it belonged to Priamos. Troy-ll, comparing with Troy-l, was enlarged and surrounded by thick and strong walls. The diameter of the walls was almost 110 meters. It was enlarged in ring shapes one inside the other just like Troy-l
Troy-ll had a stone-covered ramp which was supposed to be used in rituals, and monumental gates supported by towers. The planning of the city showed great development. Besides, the bigness and the order of the buildings planned as "Megaron" in the centre show that Troy-ll was ruled by an iron-handed king or a prince.
The most important invention was potter's wheel in Troy-ll. They produced black and grey bowls, by spinning them in the potter's wheel, and then polishing them by hand, together with brown and red bowls. The important characteristics form of this layer is "Depas amphikypellon" which is a ceremonial wine-urn with a perpendicular handle. Many pots which have body and lid in the shape of a human face have unearthed in large numbers in the excavation. Golden and silver artifacts, goods made of mountain crystal in addition to the bronze tools are the evidences of their progress in art, even Schliemann was mistaken in this respect. Some small relics discovered on different layers show that the city had trading relations with Mesopotamia and Syria in addition to the Aegean district.
The most pompous, but the last phase of Troy-ll was II-C layer which was probably raided by the clans coming from Europe, and this destruction left behind one meter of stratum of the burnt city. The poor quality of the other layers of Troy-ll was due to the migration of the clans, that were simple and deprived of the central authority instead of the previous rich civilization in the city. There were three layers coming after Troy-ll, which was so poor from the point of remains and also of culture.

Troy-Ill, Troy-IV, Troy-V (2200-1800 B.C)
After the destruction of Troy-ll, Troy-Ill came into being, that was not very different from the others. Its architecture was formed of narrow roads and small houses though its walls weren't unearthed. We don't know how Troy-Ill which was constituted of four construction-layers came to an end.
Troy-IV was enlarged a little more comparing with the previous one. Troy-IV which was supposed to rule for about a hundred years was ascertained to be formed of 3-5 dwelling-layers. The architectural characteristics of the buildings are stone foundation and clay bricks, just like Troy-Ill.
Troy-V doesn't show any difference from the point of culture from Troy-Ill and Troy-IV. However the city was enlarged a little more with the new houses added though it wasn't fortified well. Troy-V which was formed of four dwelling-layers continued a little more than a hundred years.
Troy-Ill, IV, V layers display continuity in culture, and continued about three hundred years, and came to an end around 1900-1800 B.C.. Those culture layers, the excavation of which has still been going on, were the most complicated, and almost indistinct one from the other.

Troy_VI (1800-1275 B.C)
Comparing with the other layers, Troy-VI coversalarger area than the others, and was formed of eight dwelling-layers which had three main phases. The buildings of these three phases have been protected in a large scale.
Only five gates of Troy-VI which was developed more and fortified by stronger walls were unearthed. The walls which were erected in 9 meters high rose ten meters in some places. The walls of fortification are connected to each other like the teeth of a saw. The entrances which were made between two parallel walls, strongs and hight fortification defended the city against the invasions. Besides, the we 11-protected high towers which are in good condition up to date took an important part in defending the city.
Just behind the walls one can see the best samples of the houses designed in the style of Megaron which we had observed since Troy-l. The houses were built in a parallel arrangement to the walls. This arrangement of the construction of the houses shows that the city was planned beforehand, and that the houses just behind the walls were a part of protection, We don't have any information about the buildings in the center of the city, because during the construction of the Athena Temple the buildings in the center were dismantled by an excavation.
Golden, silver, specially bronze ornaments and potteries were used in numbers in the Troy-VI layers. The samples of ceramics in this layer developed more than the other layers. One can find well-polished grey pots on Troy-VI layers, and also in many settlement-sites in western Anatolia. Though those were not as high in quality as the contemporary Mycenaean pots, they were the most important symbols of the Troy-VI culture, with their diversity in daily usage. On the other hand Troy-l coincides with the era of the Hittites, the Egyptians and the Mycenaean princedom.
Different political and economic relations were ascertained between Troy-VI and these three civilizations with written documents discovered out of Troy, but no such text was unearthed in Trojan excavations. New discoveries in the diggings which were made in the last years show that Troy-VI covered a larger area than the settlement-site surrounded by walls, and that it was as pompous as the other capitals of the contemporary civilizations.
There was no sign of fire in the last dwelling-layer of Troy-VI which was unearthed with its walls and many buildings, and also precious artifacts were not smuggled. This proves that the city came to an end not by the invaders, but by a violent earthquake. In just the same way the cracks in the walls and in the buildings, and the buildings restored on the later layer ascertain the earthquake.
The stories told in the legend of Homeros are pompous settlements - "f" and "h" of Troy-VI. The city which was captured in ten years and which was told in Iliada was on this layer. The walls in front of which Achilleus chased Hector were the walls of Troy-VI-"h". The destruction of the Achaeans told in Odysseus happened on Troy-VI I.

Troy-VII (1275-1100 B.C)
The first phase of this layer which was formed of two dwelling-layers and which was named Troy-VI 1/1 and Troy-VII/2 by Dorpfeld and Troy-VII/a and Troy-VII/b by Blegen, in fact, is the continuation of Troy-VI. The houses damaged by earthquakes, were restored, the roads were cleaned, new houses were added and the walls were restored, so that they used all those of the previous layer in Troy-VII/a. However there were some architectural changes in Troy-VII. Specially you can't see the planning and order which we used to discern in the previous layers. This shows that either the central authority was weakened because of unplanning, or all the Trojans living outside Troy took protection in the walls owing to the external enemies.
In the end Troy-VII/a was burnt down leaving a stratum of 50cm.-1 m. thick while the people inside the walls were watching fearfully. In spite of this destruction the people came back to the city and restored their houses forming Troy-VII/b layer, but they were driven out by the new invaders.
In 1200 B.C the people coming from the Balkans in the southern Europe, which was called sea-faring clans in history, and which swept over the Aegean district and Anatolia were the last clans settled in Troy in the prehistoric era. The important remains of these new people on Troy layers were grey pots with high-handed, and ornamented with little horns on the body, that can be found only in the Balkan cities, but they could not display any characteristics in architecture and art. It is possible to observe the way of migration of these people by examining those pots were called "Buckelceramic" in archaeology.
It is not known how long those migratory people stayed in Troy-VII/b-2 layer, and when they left it. Possibly these people who weren't used to settled living migrated to another place some time later.

Troy-VI 11
Beginning from 7th c. B.C. the Greek cities started to be built in the northwest of Anatolia, and the first Greek settlement Worses belonging to Troy - VI era foundation was made by the colonists coming from Greece upon the old remains of Troy. In the classical periods the city was called "Ilium".
On the sacred square only two alters belonging to Troy-VII are among a few architectural remains handed down the present time. Another building of this layer is the Athena Temple which Alexander the Great visited after the Gornikos war. The sacrifice ceremony, held for the goddess, Athena, were wrought on the Ilium coins belonging to the Hellenistic period. On the coins we can seethe bulls which were sacrificed by hanging them over the trees in front of the Temple. Very few relics belonging to this Temple handed down the present day.

Troy-IX
Though Troy-IX was not as large as the cities of that era, it always kept the memory of the pompous days lively. Therefore many Roman emperors and important people visited the city and offered gifts to the temples and tumulus. In the Roman period the city re¬gained its old magnificent days owing to the private interest of the Romans. The reason of this interest was that they believed they were descended from the ancestor Aeneas who escaped from the city while it was sacked. Even Julius Caesar thought that his origin was Julus. Therefore visiting the city he offered sacrifices and contributed in the construction of the Athena Temple financially.
In the period of Augustos the temple was enlarged. The huge buildings, seen today in the excavations, like Odeon, Theatre, Bouleuterion and the Bath belong to the Roman period. The statues of Augustos and Hadrianus alongside inscribed clay tablets belonged to the emperors.

The Trojan Writing
As there wasn't any written document belonging to the Trojans which was one of the important civilizations in the western Anatolia in the Bronze Age, up to this time it was known that the Trojan civilization was without writing. Whereas a settlement-site like Troy, which continued its existence from 3000 B.C. to 1000 B.C. , should have had commercial and political relations with its neighbouring great states.
While hundreds of written documents were found out in the capitals of the contemporary civilizations, no written documents belonging to the Bronze Age were encountered in the excavations in Troy. The reason of this is that the cultural layers, belonging to Troy-VI, which was the most brilliant period of the city, were destroyed during the construction of the Athena Temple, and also during the improvements in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. When we look at the existing plans of Troy, one can't see any other remains except a few building foundations and thick walls belonging to the Troy-VI period.
Especially buildings, related with the king and the formal archives, which should be kept in the center of the city weren't found out. The remains of these buildings were put aside near the hill during the excavations in the antique periods. Schliemann, Dorpfeld and Blegen piled on the remains and soil over the previous earth, so that those remains of the buildings stayed deep in the ground.
The excavations which will be made in future will give us more information about the pompous civilization of Troy. A bronze seal, found in the latest excavations, which was inscribed with Luwi language, has given hope to the scientists relating to the written documents.

Who Are The Trojans?
The greatest power was doubtlessly the Hittite Empire in the Bronze Age in Anatolia. Inthe excavations in Hattushash, the capital of the state, many inscribed clay tablets containing the agreements and problems with the neighbouring states were found. A tablet belonging to the period of the Hittite king, Mutavalli (1315-1282), tells us about the disorder in the western Anatolia and about the Vilusa Prince, Alexandra.
Here Vilusa might have been Troia-llion country, and Alexandru having similarity with Alexandras, the son of Priamos, might have been a Trojan prince. There was a violent uprising in the western Anatolia in the period of Tuthalia-IV (1250-1220), and Tuthalia-IV had to set out for a military expedition. The Hittite rock-monument near izmir-Kemalpa§a was erected there in honour of this expedition.
As the local princes in the western Anatolia had informed that they would help the Hittite king with the mutual agreements in case of war in the period of Mutavalli, it shows that the district was bound to the Hittites with agreements. But these princes didn't hesitate to break these agreements at every opportunity. On the other hand it shows that the princes were strong enough to challenge the Hittites. The Hittite texts mentioned the name of Taruis. a which was similar to Troy.
Though in different times it was claimed that the Trojans came from Luwi people which were the natives of Anatolia, it wasn't proved till the last years. But the bronze seal and goddess statuette inscribed in Luwi writing, found in the Trojan excavations in 1995, are the clear evidences that the Trojans descended from the Luwi people and that their religious beliefs were same as the people living in the inner districts ofAnatolia. We have no doubt that the certain evidences about the Trojan identity will be unearthed both in the Trojan excavations and in the other excavations continued in the western Anatolia.

A sightseeing Tour to the Trojan Ruins
If you wish to visit Troy like the great conquerors of the world, you won't trouble as much as the old days. The ruins of Troy is 5 km. far from the cross-road where a signpost, written Troy on it, stands at the 25th km. of the highway between Qanakkale and Izmir and 25 km. far from Qanakkale in the southwest. At the end of a 5 km. walking, by watching the lines of blood-red roses on the side of the road in the spring and in the summer you enter the Trojan city. These Roses were planted as if the honour of the Trojan and Achaean heroes.
Don't be sorry if you don't have a detailed plan or a guide. You can wander Troy easily, looking at the plan in the book and following the directions of the arrows. After walking in the shadows of the oak trees in the park, go to the western direction and you will meet the remains of the walls and towers. When you clirnb up the hill on your right side, you will watch the general view of Troy and its city walls. Just now you are face to face the Troy-IV walls which were destroyed in 1250B.C
These are the walls, over which king Priamos and the Trojan heroes had walked along, and in front of which Achilleus had dragged round Hector's corpse. The walls were built gently sloping, for them becoming strong, and over the walls it was supposed another clay-brick wall rose. When you go forward inside along the walls, you will see the walls which were made of smoothly-cut stones. This wall was the temenos wall of the Athena Temple in the later Roman period, and here and there it cut the old Trojan-VI walls.
You enter the Trojan city walking through the Eastern gate between two city walls. As you climb up a few stairs, on the left side near the walls there are the remains of small rooms made of small stones, belonging to the Trojan-VII period (1250-1000 B.C) , and then the remains of buildings planned larger, belonging to Troy-VI.
Following the path we step on the terrace of the Athena Temple covered with smooth-cut stones, belonging, to the Roman period. Every step you take in climbing the hill will bring you from 1700 B.C. to 300 A.D. This terrace probably is the best place for a sightseeing. When you look at the right side here, you can see the eastern gate of Troy-VI and the huge cistern, and just in front of it newly excavated walls and gate entrances. A little forward from the eastern gate there is a Roman theatre with the capacity of 30000 spectators among the trees.
Just in front of you can see the Kumkale plain and the Dardanelles Strait. There are the antique cities, namely Sigeion, Aiantieon, Tavolia and Rhoteion opposite to you on the little hills on the coast of the Strait. The square-wells, in front of the terrace, belonging to the Athena Temple were covered overforthetouristsnotofall in.
Following the path again to the west downwards the great pit on the right side is one of the channels which Schliemann dug. If you go on walking, you will face huge architectural blocks on the right and on the left. They are the pieces belonging to the Athena Temple, but they were left here because they were too big and not fine. The finest ones are now in the Berliner museum. Again in front of you there is the Hisarhk Hill which is one of the pointed hills undug, and which shows the original height and was specially left undug to showthe measurement.
Now you wander around 2500-2300 B.C. The rampart walls on your left side were built in different periods of Troy-ll. Also the foundation of the monumental entrance-gate belonging to Troy-ll period can be seen in the same direction. On your right side, namely towards the Strait, there are the foundations of the first "Megaron" buildings which were the most important Troy-ll constructions, and which was the main plan of the Greek temple-architecture. These buildings, the fronts and backs of which were closed and taken under protection were the residence of the Trojan kings.
Now you are on the wooden bridge. Before crossing the bridge you stop under the fig tree for a while and look at the north. The buildings, standing side by side in a pit, are the first Trojan houses. These houses, belonging to 3000 B.C. Period, were protected with the rampart-walls.
In front of the Troy-l walls, the rampart-walls, belonging to Troy-ll, stand. This wooden bridge was built for the visitors to walk over the walls. The scenery you see on the southern end of the bridge shows how difficult is the work of the archaeologists making excavations in Troy. You can understand that the Trojan layers which seem very regular were in fact very complex in their construction.
Again crossing the bridge you come down the path, and can see a stone-laid rampart on the right. By climbing the wooden stairs you can watch the rampart better, and also the strong walls of Troy-ll. It is possible that this rampart was erected in honour of the great religious ceremonies, or for the Trojan king who returned from the wars victoriously.
Probably loot or gift-loaded carts were pulled over this rampart. Schliemann found the treasure just under this rampart and walls. You can still see the large pit he had dug.
Following the path you come across one of the important buildings named IV-A house on the right, and the high walls numbered IV-M on the left. Most probably you are just on the Trojan walls. Outside the Trojan-VI walls you have returned again to the Classical and Roman periods. The buildings which are seen on the right facing to you and just underneath and which belong to the Classical and Roman periods, are the alters related wells which were used for sacrificial ceremonies. Not only cattle and sheep were sacrificed for the gods in the antique periods, but also grain and fruit were offered on this sacred alter. As time went on heaped offerings were thrown into the wells.
Excavation pits and foundations seen just behind the alters, are some of the findings which have been unearthed in the last years. The construction-remains and a stone-covered street, belonging to the Troy-VI and Troy-VII periods, are the evidences that Troy Zwas indeed a much greater city.
Following the path if you turn left, you meet a building, similar to a little theatre. This building which belonged to the Roman period and musical concerts were given was originally roofed. In the excavation made in the last years, a fine marble statue of emperor Hadrianus which is displayed in the Qanakkale museum was found out. Thefoundations seen among the trees and bushes on the right side of the road are the remains belonging to the Roman period.
On the right of and behind the Odeon there are the walls of the Troy-VI period and a little forward the most important monumental gate of the Trojan city. Not only this gate, but also all the other monumental gates of the Trojan layers face the same direction. The threat stone-idols of the Trojan gods were erected on the right of the gate for protecting the city. There is the oldest sewerage under the stone-covered street behind the gate. Just behind the walls, again you can see the foundations of the great buildings belonging to Troy-Viand VI I.
As we keep on walking, we can find the remains of the city-council building Bouleuterion belonging to the Roman period on the walls on the right. The stones belonging to the building which was built in the shape of a little amphi-theatre now are in front of you. The stones are put here for using them in the restoration in future.
At the end of the road you have had a stroll round the city of Troy, just like Achilleus, but of course with a wish of peace, and not with a wish of destruction again.

Trojan Excavations
Before Schliemann started the excavations in Troy, many researchers examined and dug the area to find the city. Only the English Consul, Frank Calvert, in Qanakkale considered that the city might have been built on the Hisarhk Hill, and so first time in 1865 he began the excavations and dug out some architectural pieces belonging to the Athena Temple. Later on he showed these pieces to Schliemann and persuaded him that Troy was on the Hisarhk Hill.
The chronology of the Trojan excavations, including the diggings which continued at the present time, is divided into four periods. The excavations which Schliemann started in 1870 are the first diggings in Troy; the excavations by Dorpfeld between 1893-1894 are the second period; the excavations by G. Blegen between 1932-1938 are the third period; the excavations by M.Korfmann in 1988 which still have been going on are known as the fourth period.

1 st Period, the excavations by Schliemann
These excavations continued at intervals between the years 1870-1890. The digging completely proved that Troy had once stood on the Hisarlik Hill. Schliemann thought that there were 7 dwelling-sites on the tumulus, the first five of which belonged to the pre historic and the other two belonged to the Classical and Roman periods.
Schliemann, on the other hand, supposed that the treasure he dug out of the Troy-ll culture- layer is the treasure of Priamos, told in Iliad by Homeros. The golden findings of Troy-VI, together with the grey ceramics, are supposed to belong to the Lydians. Schliemann evaluated the relics including all the architectural and small findings in the Classical-Roman cultural layers. No need to criticize Schliemann for this mistake if you keep in my mind that many experts misled in the excavations made newly using the most developed technologies.

2nd Period, the excavations by W. Dorpfeld
Dorpfeld who joined the excavation in 1890 first time with Schliemann was in fact an architect. As an architect he understood that Troy was formed of nine layers from the bottom to the top when he approached the matter in view of the architecture in addition to his professional experiences in 1890.
After Schliemann died, Dorpfeld continued the excavations by means of the financial support of his wife, Sophie, between the years 1893-1894, and proved that Troy was formed of nine layers from the bottom to the top. He ascertained that 1-5 layers were pre¬historic, and he thought that Vl-layer was the Troy of Homeros because of the Mycenaean ceramics and the magnificent walls unearthed. Dorpfeld had indeed found out the truths on the main lines, related to Troy. Besides, he drew the detailed plans about Troy for the first time.

3rd Period, the excavations by C.BIegen
The excavations made by Schliemann and Dorpfeld may be called Ottoman period diggings.
During the time of the Turkish Republic the first excavations were started by a team of archaeologists under the leadership of Blegen from Cincinnati University, USA. between the years 1932-1938. In his diggings Blegen discovered that Troy was formed of nine culture-layers and 46 construction-sites. After examining all the remains found in the excavations, Blegen drew the detailed plan of the city.
In the excavations it is ascertained that Troy-l was a settlement belonging to the early Bronze Age and which was formed of 10 construction-layers; Troy-ll was a settlement belonging to the late Bronze Age, and was formed of 8 construction layers. Besides, the treasure which Schliemann supposed to be Priamos' treasure, was in fact found out in the early Troy-ll layers.
Blegen wrote the books about Troy in Cincinnati University after he examined the findings in detail, which were unearthed in the excavations between the years 1938-1950. Through these books the detailed information have been given to the archaeological world. Not only the construction-layers and the architecture of Troy, but also all the investigations related to the findings of ceramics, sculpture, and the metal material are included in these books.
Blegen made public the detailed stratum-graphic which reflected the Trojan culture layers in the excavations, and so it is disclosed that the findings found in the previous excavations belong to which dwelling layer. The findings, unearthed in the excavations by Blegen, remained in Turkey, on the contrary Schliemann and Dorpfeld smuggled most of them. Some of the Blegen's findings are displayed in the Qanakkale Museum and in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

4th Period, the excavations by Korfmann
The Trojan excavations which stopped for long years after 1938 started again in 1988.
M. Korfmann, from the University of Tubingen, Germany, who made excavations at Besjktepe near Troy between the years 1980-1987 started the Trojan excavations with the co-operation of the universities of Cincinnati and Tubingen in 1988. The interest for Troy has always increased in the last 50 years as a result of the other excavations made in the western Anatolia and the Aegean district lately.
The newly started excavations have been going on, being used the latest technologies and scientific methods by nearly a hundred scientists from 15 different countries. The results of these new excavations stirred excitement in the world of archaeology as much as the diggings carried on by Schliemann in 1870 for the first time. Specially the investigations made with electromagnetic methods which are rather new in archaeology have proved that the pre¬historic Troy was much larger than it was supposed.
The carved bronze seal, belonging to 1100B.C, which was dug out in the Trojan VII-b2 layer in 1995, was almost the oldest inscribed finding, and at the same time as it was carved in Luwi language similar to the samples found in Hattushash, the capital of the Hittites, it was the most reliable evidence that Troy was a Luwi city, Besides, other bronze goddess figurines fgund out in different districts of Anatolia are the evidences again that the Trojans were the Luwi people. You can see the excavations still going on in Troy in the summer months. All the findings unearthed are displayed in the Qanakkale Museum.

Schliemann and the Discovery of the Treasure
Schliemann was born in the Newbukow village of Mecklenburg, Germany in Jan. 6, 1822 and was one of the seven children of a poor country-parson. When he was ten years old, he saw the picture of Troy in fires in an encyclopedia in the village school and he believed in the heroes of Homeros and Troy deeply. As he read books about Homeros and his heroes in his school years, he made his mind to find Troy. This child's dream turned to be his lifelong passion by the time.
Though he was a small child and weak bodily, he started to work for earning his living as an apprentice in a business. At the age of twenty when he was working for a big company in Amsterdam, he learned six foreign languages owing to his ability in learning a language. His success in his job persuaded his boss to send him to Petersburg as a commercial representative. Young Schliemann earned his first personal wealth here by selling war materials to the Russians during the Crimean War. Later on, working by himself Schliemann earned a large wealth by selling war materials during the American Civil War and Russian-Japanese War.
The only reason for his earning Money was the passion for finding Troy. Leaving his job in 1858 he began to travel in order to find Troy. However he liquidated his business in 1868, and emigrated to Athens, and devoted himself to find Troy. There he entered into his second marriage to a young and beautiful girl of an Athenian textile merchant.
Troy was searched not only by Schliemann, but also by many European travellers before. They all searched this city of legendary Priamos in the neighbourhood of Qanakkale, being guided by the epic poems of Homeros. Some of them claimed that the city wasatPmarbasi, 5-6 km. far from the southern part of real Troy. But Frank Calvert, the English Consul in Qanakkale, thought that Troy was on the Hisarhk Hill. He was so sure of his claim that he bought half of the hill land.
At the beginning Schliemann also supposed that Troy was at Pmarbasi. He even excavated in some places. Then he changed his opinion after he met Calvert. Calvert explained him during a dinner party in the Calvert's farm that the findings found in the excavations on the Hisarhk Hill proved the exact place of Troy. Besides, if Schliemann wished to go on the digging, Calvert would hand over his land on the Hisarlik Hill to Schliemann.
Without losing any time, Schliemann also got the necessary permissions from Istanbul in 1870 and started the dig on the Hisarlik Hill with hundreds of labourers. At the beginning he had no knowledge about archaeology. He had the large hole dug in the north-south direction, looking like channels, on the Hill. During the excavation he dismantled all the cultural-layers and architectural relics, and broke down the walls. The only thing he looked for was the treasure of Priamos. Even at present it is possible to see these big holes called "cleft".
In spite of this many architectural buildings and fortification walls were unearthed. But he still classified all the findings one by one in special boxes, and also drew the plans of the discovered buildings. The articles which he wrote about the excavation in different newspapers, and the letters he sent to his friends, drew the attention of many people around the world.  Nevertheless he couldn't come across the treasure of Priamos. Therefore during the diggings Schliemann had always been watching over the labourers carefully, and even he entered himself under the most dangerous walls.
While he was watching the diggings at noon on May 3, 1873, Schliemann detected a queer copper piece. He sent away all the labourers to have their lunch immediately, and when he dug this piece under the wall with his knife, he saw that there were other goldenpieces in the soil. In his memorandum Schliemann had written later that on this particular day he sent for his wife Sophie, letting the labourers go to their houses for the birthday, and they dug out the treasure by the help of his wife, and carried them in Sophie's skirt to the hut. But later investigations proved that his Sophie was in Athens on that date, and besides the treasure was too much to carry in the skirt.
He kept the findings a secret from everybody, and especially from the supervisor, Emin Ef. , an official of the Ottoman Empire because a certain part of the treasure had to be confiscated by the State according to the laws of the Ottomans. But he put the treasure in chests, and locked them in the excavation hut. Now he was thinking how to smuggle them out of Troy.
On the other hand Emin Ef., The supervisor, had learned that some valuable artifacts were discovered in the diggings, and so he pressed Schliemann to show them. Then Schliemann got in touch with Athens by the help of the Greek Consul in Qanakkale, and he smuggled the treasure by a yacht named Taxiarches which anchored in a small lonely bay, Karanlikliman, of the Dardanelles on June 61873.
The smuggling of the treasure was heard in a short time after Emin Ef. Reported it to Istanbul. The Ottoman State nullified the permission of excavation, and also filed a lawsuit against Schliemann in the courts of Athens.  Schliemann who was fined 10000 francs by the court delivered 50000 francs to the Ministry of Education to be used for Istanbul Museum, so that he tried to correct the relations. At the requests of some ambassadors who were his close friends in Istanbul, he was forgiven and received the permit back for going on the excavation in 1876.
However the Trojan excavations, after this happening, weren't so easy. Specially the governor of Qanakkale, Ibrahim Pasa, had izzet Ef. supervised the excavations closely. But Schliemann succeeded to have the governor dismissed from his office by the help of his certain friends in Istanbul.
Schliemann continued the diggings, but this time it turned to be the real archaeological research owing to his increasing experience and scientists joining in the excavations, specially architect W. Dorpfeld, up to 1890 at intervals. Schliemann who excavated in Troy in the years 1871-73,1878-79,1882-83 and 1890 carried out excavations in Mykenai, Orkhonemos and Tyrus in Greece at intervals.
Schliemann who considered to find the treasure of Priamos in Troy thought to discover the tombs of the Achaean commanders in the Greek excavations. In this way he held the belongings of the heroes of Homeros in his hands as he imagined in his childhood. A paralyzed patient who had no money and no identity card was brought to the hospital in Napoli in Dec.26, 1890. This patient whom police had found by the side of the pavement died a few hours later. Some relatives recognised Schliemann in the hospital. So Schliemann who was born as a poor man, and who succeeded in possessing the greates treasures of the world died without a penny.
Schliema'nn has made known the excavations he performed in Troy and in Greece by publishing books and writing articles about them all over the world. Nonetheless the mistake while digging in Troy, scattering most of the relics unearthed round the world, his smuggling of the findings of the treasure are the greatest damages caused by Schliemann to the archaeology.
The Adventurous Travel of the Treasure
The treasure which was smuggled from Turkey, first was concealed in Athens. Until the end of the case in the court in Athens, Schliemann hid the treasure in his house there. For a time it was kept in a safe in the bank. Then the treasure was displayed in the Victoria and Albert Museums in England. After having been exhibited in England between the years 1878-1880, it was carried to Berlin in 1881. Till the Second World War it was displayed in the Kunstgewerbe Museum in Berlin. During the War the treasure together with the other precious objects and artifacts were hidden in the depots of anti-aircraft gun tower in the Berliner Zoo.
During the invasion of Berlin by the Soviet red Army in May, 1945, a special army unit under the command of major Volasin found the hidden treasure and took the possession of it, then they sent them to the Pushkin Museum in Moscow by a special train. The State of the Soviet Union claimed that they seized the Trojan treasure together with the other treasure in compensation for the works of art looted by the Soviets in Germany during the World War II. In 1958 though the Soviet Union gave back some works of art to the East Germany, the Trojan treasure stayed in Moscow as they weren't recorded on an official list during the War.
It was kept a secret where the treasure was and who owned it till 1995. It was nearly considered that the treasure was either destroyed or looted in the war, then the Russian Federation decided to reveal and display the Trojan treasure in the Pushkin Museum in 1995. So the treasure emerged again in Moscow. The revealing of the treasure started a dispute; Who was the owner of the treasure? The Russian Federation pointed out that the treasure should be in their possession as a war compensation and as they were the descendants of the Soviet Union.
On the other hand Germany claimed that Schliemann handed the treasure over the German people by his will; also according to the agreement made between Germany and the Soviets in 1950, the works of art should be returned in case they are lost or smuggled out of the country. However the Ottoman Empire insisted that the treasure had to be given back to the real inheritor because of the smuggling of the treasure from Troy in Anatolia.
Even Greece wanted the treasure to be given back to them as were the grandchildren of the Achaeans, that perhaps had forgotten to carry off the treasure during the Trojan sacking. The western states smuggled many historical valuable objects from the under-developed countries and from their colonies to their countries since the 18th century. Therefore all the works of art and artifacts which have been displayed in the museums, thousands km. far from their original lands, should be returned to their real countries; so the Trojan treasure has also to be given back to the lands where the Trojan heroes were used to lie.