Life and achievements
Early life
Heinrich Schliemann was born on January 6, 1822, in Neubukow, Germany, to a poor pastor. He was always interested in history, especially ancient ones, starting from the books of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, which his father read to him. These epic tales would follow Schliemann throughout his life and into his later archaeological pursuits. He received very little education because of the lack of funds, and at 14 years old, he was apprenticed to a grocery store, where he suffered long hours of toil in poor working conditions.
Nonetheless, Schliemann's childhood was far from happy, but he was a quick learner of languages that would later benefit him in his business life. By age twenty, he was fluent in Russian, English, French, and Dutch, which was very useful in international business. Schliemann could retire early after a series of business successes, especially in Russia and the U.S. This made him devote most of his time to archaeology.
Schliemann's experiences of poverty and hard work made him determined to succeed in life. This must have made him wealthy enough to finance the archaeological expeditions that characterized his career. His initial interest in Homeric literature and his intention of proving that the narrative in The Iliad was a historical reality paved the way for his discovery of the lost city of Troy.
Legacy
There are many opinions regarding Heinrich Schliemann's contribution to archaeology. Schliemann is considered one of the first people to connect mythology with history, which is why he is attributed to the discovery of the Aegean Bronze Age civilization. His discoveries in the excavations of Troy, Mycenae, and Tiryns made these ancient places better known to the public and changed the perspective of historians and archaeologists regarding Homer. He proved that there was some truth in the myths that used to be thought of as pure myth.
Nevertheless, Schliemann is also remembered for his crude methods of digging that led to the destruction of the archaeological sites he investigated. His passion for discovering Troy made him dig deeper and remove layers that could have been useful in studying the city. His finding of what he said was "Priam's Treasure" was evidence of his mistakes and shortcomings from an earlier epoch.
However, one cannot deny that Schliemann's adventure and his passion for archaeology have paved the way for other archaeologists to dig for the hidden treasures of the past. Schliemann's legacy paved the way for future archaeologists, such as Sir Arthur Evans, who further explored the site of Knossos and Carl Blegen, who revisited Troy using more scientific methods. He had the enthusiasm to link mythology with history, which led to the development of modern archaeology. Now, Schliemann is viewed as a pioneer and a protagonist of the myth created around him. He opened new horizons in studying the ancient world, while his actions demonstrated the necessity of a strict and systematic approach to archaeological work.
Milestone moments
Jan 6, 1822
Birth of Heinrich Schliemann
Heinrich Schliemann was born in Neubukow, Germany, into a relatively low-income family.
He had a very simple upbringing, and he grew to love the epic of Homer that his father read to him when he was young.
Schliemann's interest in the history of the ancient world was his initial interest, which would later lead to his career in archaeology.
Schliemann was endowed with a remarkable ability to learn languages, an essential quality for his future occupation.
Because of financial difficulties, he had to leave school, become a grocery clerk, and enter the international trade sphere.
He was able to learn and master new languages within a short span of time, which helped him establish a business career that would finance his archaeological expeditions.
Jan 17, 1870
Excavation of Troy Begins
In 1870, Schliemann started what would be known as his most famous dig at Hisarlik in modern-day Turkey, which he assumed was the location of Troy.
Having a copy of Homer's Iliad, Schliemann was determined to find the city described in the epic.
His perseverance and the funds he had paid for the excavations enabled him to go down to what he thought was the site of Troy.
Excavation of a hoard of gold and other items, which Schliemann christened Priam's Treasure, put him on the world map.
However, his digging techniques were very invasive, and further studies showed that the treasure predated the Trojan War by over a thousand years.
Overall, it contributed to popularizing the study of ancient civilizations and establishing the connection between mythology and history.
Aug 13, 1876
Find of the Mask of Agamemnon
Schliemann's success at Troy inspired him to continue excavating at Mycenae, another centre attributed to the Homeric epic.
In 1876, he came across a number of royal shaft graves full of gold items, such as a funerary gold mask that he claimed to be that of the legendary king of Mycenae, Agamemnon.
Even though it was later proved that the mask belonged to a previous epoch, it was one of the most significant discoveries of Schliemann's career.
The excavation of the Mycenaean graves proved informative in the study of the Bronze Age civilization of Greece.
Schliemann's work at Mycenae and the discoveries he made at Troy assisted in the correlation between Homer's epics and history and the understanding of ancient civilization.
Jun 15, 1873
Discovery of Priam's Treasure
On this day, Schliemann found a hoard of gold and other valuables, which he immediately recognized as the hoard of the legendary Trojan king Priam.
It was one of the most significant finds in Schliemann's career, and he managed to smuggle the treasure from the Ottoman Empire and display it in museums across Europe.
However, future excavation would show that the artefacts belonged to an earlier period than the Trojan War, probably 2400 BC.
Despite the dispute over the authenticity of Priam's Treasure, Schliemann's discoveries placed the city of Troy on the map.
Even though his theories were proven false, he contributed to developing an interest in archaeology and further exploring the site.