TROY

After the magnificent ruins we had seen along the tour, Troy was a bit of a disappointment.  Although it was interesting to see the place we have read about, and its 4000 year history, the ruins themselves do not show much special about the site.  

 A portion of the legendary walls of Troy. 

The original excavations were done by Heinrich Schleimann, who was perhaps more of a treasure hunter than archaeologist.  He dug two crossing trenches, and once he hit pay dirt in the form of gold and other artifacts, spirited them off to Germany.  It may have been the approach of the day, but as in other places we visited, the absence of careful techniques nearly obliterates the historical value of the excavations.  

 The curves between the walls at the gates and the sloping walls were to foil attackers.  From the legend of the Trojan War, apparently they worked. 

 This is Troy's view of the ocean, and the coming onslaught of Achaens coming for Helen.  

Most of the artifacts have been removed, and it may be for this reason that the ruins are not very descriptive or interesting.  After the tour, when Tom and I visited the archaeological museum in Istanbul, we saw the various artifacts from the nine distinct habitation periods, so Troy’s place in the archaeological record became more apparent.  

 The gateway where the Trojan Horse would have approached. 

Supposedly one of the soldiers inside the Trojan Horse got out after dark and came to this wall to remove a stone to signal to his compatriots that the ruse was successful and the coast was clear.  These walls look rebuilt, but they are allegedly original.  

 The theater.  Note how small it is compared to the later Roman theaters at other sites. 

A Trojan Horse for the kiddies.

Our guide explained that “Schliemann’s Gold” as it is called was thought to have been taken from Germany to the Soviet Union after WWII.  The Turkish Prime Minister had recently asked Putin for its return, but the Russians disclaimed any knowledge of its whereabouts.  Tom and I begged to differ, since we had visited Moscow in May and saw “Schliemann’s Gold prominently displayed in the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum.  Maybe Mr. Putin just forgot he had it. (During our tour Angela Merkel visited Russia and asked Putin on camera for the return of various other looted art, and he seemed a bit vague about that, too, even though they were standing in front of the art in question at the Hermitage.)  Our photos of "Schliemann's Gold" are HERE.