The discovery of Troy by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann was crucial to the understanding of the books written by Homer called the Iliad and the Odyssey explaining the events of the Trojan War, without the use of technology Schliemann has been credited for most of the discoveries of Troy, but the means of ways he went and discovered Troy is highly controversial. Destruction of most of what he was trying to find, the recording methods Schliemann used, and his ethics and the ways he destroyed, “salting” and stole evidence. Despite the controversies of the reliability of his own research, Schliemann was the pioneer and the starting point in the modern development of the science of archaeology and cannot be judged harshly. This essay will examine
…show more content…
He caused controversies as discovery of some of his artefacts to be stolen, or have been found to be planting and tampering with artefacts. An example of this is the finding of the Mask of Agamemnon. As the mask differenced from the others found in Mycenae because it was a three-dimensional mask, and that the moustache has been cut out rather than engraved, archaeologists, “Calder and Traill say that, since he was a pathological liar.” Schliemann was accused of fraud and attempted theft for the Mask of Agamemnon. Another highly controversial discovery by Schliemann’s was the discovery of the Treasure of Priam, with his wife, which Schliemann admitted to being false. The Treasure consisted of over “8750 gold beads” pieces of jewellery but this is now known that Priam’s Treasure was “too deep in the ground to be from the Troy of the Iliad” and for other items to be planted by Schliemann himself. This led to Calder stating that Schliemann, "was ill, like an alcoholic, a child molester or a dope-fiend," Other major ethical issues with Schliemann’s discovery is the destruction of a lot of Troy that he was trying to find. With his haste Schliemann and his pursuit to believe that Homer’s Troy was Troy II, “he destroyed all levels above it. But this had devastating effects, he destroyed the Troy he so desperately wanted to find.” This resulted in a lot of evidence being wrecked which would have been able to prove a lot more of Troy and his reliability. Amongst all the controversies, it is difficult to place a negative light on Schliemann’s as his methods were the founding of modern
He caused controversies as discovery of some of his artefacts to be stolen, or have been found to be planting and tampering with artefacts. An example of this is the finding of the Mask of Agamemnon. As the mask differenced from the others found in Mycenae because it was a three-dimensional mask, and that the moustache has been cut out rather than engraved, archaeologists, “Calder and Traill say that, since he was a pathological liar.” Schliemann was accused of fraud and attempted theft for the Mask of Agamemnon. Another highly controversial discovery by Schliemann’s was the discovery of the Treasure of Priam, with his wife, which Schliemann admitted to being false. The Treasure consisted of over “8750 gold beads” pieces of jewellery but this is now known that Priam’s Treasure was “too deep in the ground to be from the Troy of the Iliad” and for other items to be planted by Schliemann himself. This led to Calder stating that Schliemann, "was ill, like an alcoholic, a child molester or a dope-fiend," Other major ethical issues with Schliemann’s discovery is the destruction of a lot of Troy that he was trying to find. With his haste Schliemann and his pursuit to believe that Homer’s Troy was Troy II, “he destroyed all levels above it. But this had devastating effects, he destroyed the Troy he so desperately wanted to find.” This resulted in a lot of evidence being wrecked which would have been able to prove a lot more of Troy and his reliability. Amongst all the controversies, it is difficult to place a negative light on Schliemann’s as his methods were the founding of modern