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DO ES ARCHA EOLOG Y SUPPORT THE itself indicates a ruling and military class - massive
EXISTENCE OF THE TROJAN WAR? fortifications on a hill top overlooking a rich
agricultural plain and the town of Argolis. All
It would appear that Heinrich Schliemann (1822- these factors picture a city of the aristocracy and
90) found, at Hisarlik, in northern Turkey, what is the prosperous. Excavations also showed that the
believed to be Troy, by reference to Homer’s city and its civilisation were destroyed (by fire) in
heroes (in fact, he had considerable help from one around 1230 BC. So, if Agamemnon of Mycenae
Frank Calvert - but that’s another story). From was going to invade Troy it had to be before this
archaeological evidence, whether it all ever date. The city was later rebuilt to last until 1120
happened is not so clear. To gain any idea, it is BC and producing a different style of pottery, but
necessary to compare archaeological evidence from not as the city it once was.
known areas and then see whether it links in with
the literature - Homer’s Iliad (Il). When Schliemann excavated Mycenae, he found
many treasures in the shaft graves adjacent to the
Mycenaean comparisons great Lion Gate entrance. He was overwhelmed
Homer’s Trojan War has been estimated at about with the finds, particularly the gold masks, one of
1250 BC (but still under debate) and according to which he believed to be of Agamemnon. The
Homer (writing in the 8th C BC), the Greek problem was the dating. The shaft graves, in which
(Achaean) expedition against King Priam of Troy Schliemann found the treasures, were constructed
was led by Agamemnon, king of Mycenae (west in 1600 BC, some four hundred and fifty years
before 1250 BC, the considered date of the fall of
Troy - a detail Schliemann overlooked. However,
the artwork and design of the masks and jewellery
made it clear that the Mycenaean civilisation was
highly sophisticated.

There are some connections in

Hom er w i th Myc ena ea n
artefacts, particularly with
the Iliad and armour. For
example Odysseus “put over
his head a helmet fashioned of
leather ... and on the outer
side the white teeth of a tusk-
The Lion Gate at Mycenae shining boar were close sewn
one after the other ...” (Il
coast of the Peloponnese of mainland Greece). 10.261) - the very kind of
Homer tells us he was a man of great wealth, the helmet found at Dendra, near
lord of deep-golden Mykenai (Il 11.47) and led a Mycenae. Also “Now Aias
powerful navy of 100 ships (Il 2.576) - larger than came near, carrying like a wall
all others. Although there is no archaeological shield of bronze and sevenfold
evidence of the existence of Agamemnon, we know ox-hide” (Il 7.219) - a
the city of Mycenae existed around 1600 - 1120 BC Mycenaean shield.
14th Century BC suit of armour
(from similar pottery found in Egypt at that time) Unfortunately, not
and boars tusk helmet found at
and that it was a city of great wealth - this was Dendra all the references
realised from excavations of finds of gold in the in the Iliad follow
burial chambers and the evidence (pottery) of archaeological
industry (oil merchants) in the foundations of patterns and there are discrepancies. There is
surrounding buildings. reference to “locking spear by spear, shield by
shield, so buckler leaned on buckler, helmet on
Some buildings in the city were substantially two- helmet, man against man … so dense were they
storied with interconnecting drainage. The site formed on each other …” (Il 13.131), which infers
ISSUE 13 THE LOST SCROLL PAGE 6

the operation of the phalanx, but it was not used by

1200 BC) have been found by Carl Blegen, in Troy
the Greeks until around the 9th century BC. Homer
VI. So Troy VI has a definite link with
refers to types of armour of various periods and
Mycenae. The last of it was imported into Troy in
iron of his own period, as if comparing the
1250 BC, the believed date of its destruction. In
Mycenaean culture with his own.
Troy VIIb, a completely new style of pottery, alien
to Mycenae, was found. This originated from
The finding of the Linear B tablets at Mycenae
across the Dardanelles in the 12th century BC and
(and at Pylos and Knossos) by Sir Arthur Evans (and
suggests new people at Troy. So, if Homer’s Troy
interpreted by Michael Ventris as Greek in 1952)
existed, it was prior to this period.
was both encouraging and discouraging. They
indicate a developing culture with a written
However, Blegen was convinced that Troy VI was
language within Mycenaean Greece during the
destroyed by an earthquake, as the walls had
period leading up to Homer’s siege of
shifted, and Troy VIIa by fire (although he
Troy. However, they relate to administration of
accepted that there had been a fire at Troy VI at
royal palaces and make no mention of Homer’s royal
some stage) and, therefore Troy VIIa was Homer’s
heroes by name, which limits their value to prove
the existence of Homer’s
heroes but they do refer
to Mycenaean forays into
Aegean (Lesbos) which
puts them in situ.

What has been found at

Mycenae has to be
compared with what has
been found at Troy. If
there is a sufficient link,
then it may be possible to
speculate that Homer’s
Troy did exist. Cross section of the mound at Troy (north to south). The Roman city (dotted temples –
Troy IX) removed a great deal of Troy VI & VIIA (dotted lines between the two temples).
The hatched walls are Troy II and the dark walls are Troy VI
Troy
Following the discovering
of Troy, nine main
Troy. But Donald Easton has suggested that,
settlements have been excavated over the years
although there was an earthquake, it possibly
(dates being approximate and still open to dispute):
destroyed Troy VIIa and Blegen simply
I 3600-2500 BC
misinterpreted the signs of the wall
II 2500-2200 BC
movements. Unfortunately, he refused to confirm
III 2200-2000 BC
that Troy VI was the city destroyed by the Greeks,
IV 2000-1900 BC
commenting, “it simply gives us a nice opportunity
V 1900-1800 BC
for belief”.
VI 800-1250 BC
VIIa 1250-1180 BC
Looking at Troy VIIa, it is very similar to Troy VI
VIIb 1180-1000 BC
in build - as a fortification - with houses illustrating
VIII 30-85 BC
continuation of sturdy masonry in period of
IX 85 BC-AD 300
rebuilding. But it has ear-marks of siege about it -
closely packed houses (unlike Troy VI),
Troy VI and VIIA bear a certain resemblance to
incorporating storage pithoi (large containers) let
Mycenae - Troy VI is high and wealthy, Troy VIIa
into floor for, perhaps, a special need for storage -
is heavily fortified. How do we know the dates of
even to the extent of restricting space within the
these cities? Late Helladic IIIA pottery (1400 -
building. Was it preparing for siege? Blegen
1300 BC) and Late Helladic IIIB pottery (1300 -
believed so and this was another reason for his
ISSUE 13 THE LOST SCROLL PAGE 7

conclusion that Troy VIIa was Homer’s city of the may well have cremated their warriors to prevent
Trojan War. However, this preparation for siege at the bodies being exhumed and despoiled by the
Troy VIIa may have be in defence against the later Trojans. The site is near to where the beach would
Sea People, as referred to by the Egyptians. It is have been in the 13th century BC, and close enough
not known who they were but they may have been to Troy for a Greek encampment. It is, of course,
the Dorians who rampaged through mainland Greece mere speculation and Korfmann is cautious about
in about 1200 BC. linking Homer and archaeology. However, it does
allow the imagination to wander. He said, “I am
One problem with this, is that the whole of Troy sure, in the 13th century [BC] there several wars
VIIa is divided up into small enclosures and there is around and about the city of Troy but which one
no Royal Palace, as there is in Troy VI. This sounds was Homer’s War, we will never know”.
rather like the King and his family are no longer in
residence at Troy VIIa. Conclusion
It is clear that a large fortified city existed at
The next problem is dating. Late Helladic IIIC Hisarlik in or around 1250 BC, at the time of
pottery has since been found at Troy VIIa, which Homer’s Trojan War, but because of its location at
means it must have been in existence after 1190 BC the entrance of the Dardanelles, it had control of a
which is too late for Homer’s War (the date of trade route, and so such a fortification would not
Homer’s War at 1250 BC is based on the fall of be particularly unusual. There was, certainly, in
Mycenae shortly afterward in 1230 BC). In this existence in the 13th century BC, the wealth that
respect, Troy VIIa is unlikely to be Homer’s Troy Homer refers but whether it belonged to Homer’s
which makes Troy VI favourite for Priam’s city. heroes is unknown and will never be known unless
something of reference to them appears in future
In addition, there have been excavations at Besik excavations.
Bay, an inlet to the south of Troy, by Professor
Korfmann (who is presently working at Troy on the Archaeology shows that, if there was a Trojan War,
lower town). This produced Mycenaean pottery and Mycenae and the other cities named in the Iliad
cremated bodies of the period around the Trojan were, in the 13th century BC, large and strong
War. The cremations support Homer’s references, enough to invade Troy. However, there is very
otherwise considered inconsistent with the little in either Trojan or Mycenaean archaeology to
believed Mycenaean practice of burial. The Greeks support the existence of Homer’s heroes or
Homer’s Trojan War, other than to
say that Troy and a wealthy and
powerful Mycenae existed and must
have had its own warrior heroes.

Dudley Moore

If you want to learn more about this

topic (and the Minoans of Crete),
there will be a CCE course on it
from next Autumn term 2004
( c r e d i t s a v a i l a bl e f o r t h e
Certificate in Archaeology).

The citadel of Troy