Heinrich Schliemann

Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890), German archaeologist, who discovered the remains of ancient Troy. He was born in the duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and as a boy developed a love for Homeric legend and a desire to prove its historical accuracy by archaeological excavation. His formal education ended when he was apprenticed to a grocer at the age of 14. Subsequently he became a successful businessman in Russia and travelled widely; he became a United States citizen while he was in California in 1850, when that state joined the Union. He retired from business with a large fortune in 1863 and devoted himself and his fortune to the fulfilment of his boyhood dream.

In 1870 Schliemann began excavations on the hill of Hissarlik, in Turkey, where he believed the remains of the ancient city of Troy would be found. He discovered several archaeological layers indicating a succession of cities and proclaimed the second layer from the bottom to be the vestiges of the Homeric city of Troy. Later, however, it was discovered that this layer represented an even earlier settlement and that Homeric Troy was at a higher level. From 1876 to 1878 Schliemann excavated the tombs of the Mycenaean kings at Mycenae, in Greece. Also in Greece, he made excavations at Ithaca (Itháki) in 1878 and at Orchomenus in 1881-1882. In 1884-1885 he unearthed the ruins of the great palace at Tiryns, Greece. Because of Schliemann's discoveries, most scholars believe that Homer's account of the Trojan War has some basis in fact.