The Evidence That Says Hissarlik In Turkey Was Once The City Of Troy | Lost Worlds | Timeline
Timeline - World History Documentaries・30 minutes read
Archaeologists excavate the site of Troy at Hissarlik in Turkey, finding evidence of a sophisticated Bronze Age city. Despite uncertainty around characters like King Priam and Helen, discoveries align with Homer's descriptions, connecting the site to the Trojan War era.
Insights
- Recent excavations at Hissarlik in Turkey, believed to be the site of Troy, reveal a more sophisticated Bronze Age city than previously thought, showcasing advanced technological skills like earthquake-proof stonemasonry and indicating a dynamic urban center with access to trade networks.
- The decline of Ilium, potentially the ancient city of Troy, was influenced by factors such as the silting up of its harbor, the rise of Christianity diverting funds from pagan sites, and a shift in power dynamics, leading to its eventual demise by 650 AD after a period of trade prosperity and strategic importance.
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Recent questions
Where is the city of Troy located?
Turkey
Who is attributed with the story of Troy?
Homer
What evidence suggests Troy was a wealthy port?
Advanced technological skills
What did the recent findings at Hissarlik reveal?
Larger, more sophisticated Bronze Age city
What is the connection between Hissarlik and the Hittites?
Bronze seal inscribed with two names
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Summary
00:00
Search for Troy: Uncovering Ancient Mysteries
- Archaeologists have long sought the city of Troy, famous for the Trojan War and the Trojan horse.
- A century ago, an archaeologist claimed to have found Troy, but doubts persisted among experts.
- A recent team of archaeologists has spent 15 years excavating the site of Troy at Hissarlik in Turkey.
- The site has multiple layers of human settlement dating from 3000 BC to late Roman times.
- The story of Troy was first recorded in The Iliad, attributed to the Greek poet Homer.
- The Trojan War, involving King Priam, Paris, Helen, and the Trojan horse, is a central tale in The Iliad.
- In 1871, Heinrich Schliemann claimed to have found Troy at Hissarlik, uncovering nine different settlements.
- Schliemann's discovery of a treasure in the early Bronze Age contradicted the timeline of the Trojan War.
- Recent findings at Hissarlik suggest a larger, more sophisticated Bronze Age city than previously thought.
- The ruins at Hissarlik indicate advanced technological skills, such as earthquake-proof stonemasonry.
21:21
Troy: Ancient Port City of Wealth
- The city of Troy, as described in Homer's Iliad, was a wealthy port located near the sea.
- Archeologist Manfred Kaufman brought in geophysicist Ilhan Cayenne to analyze the geological history of the area.
- Cayenne found marine sediments beneath the farmland at hissarlik, indicating the area was once underwater.
- 3,000 years ago, hissarlik was closer to the sea, surrounded by a lagoon and swampy terrain, providing access to trade routes.
- The evidence suggests Bronze Age Troy was a dynamic city with access to trade networks, possibly dealing in copper, tin, gold, silver, textiles, and slaves.
- Signs of warfare, including a layer of charcoal, bronze spear and arrowheads, and human remains, were found at hissarlik, dating back to 1250 BC.
- Kaufman's findings suggest that 3,000 years ago, Troy existed as described by Homer, but the existence of figures like King Priam and Helen of Troy remains unproven.
- A bronze seal inscribed with two names found at hissarlik linked the site to the Hittites, suggesting a connection to Homer's Troy.
- An underground water system discovered at hissarlik, dating back to the Bronze Age, aligns with Homer's reference to sacred springs at Troy.
- Hissarlik, believed to be Troy, became a site of homage and pilgrimage in later centuries, attracting visitors seeking connection to the legendary Trojan War heroes.
43:20
"Ephesus: Ancient City of Ilium's Decline"
- Ephesus, located south along the Turkish coast, offers a glimpse into what the ancient city of Ilium, potentially from the time of the Trojan War, might have looked like, boasting grand architecture, amphitheaters, and a temple of Athena on its Acropolis.
- The pagan sanctuary in Ilium, linked to the Trojan War, hosted the custom of the Locrian maidens, who were sent annually to clean the temple of Athena, maintaining the sanctuary for nearly a thousand years until the early 1st century BC.
- Ilium's golden age, marked by trade and strategic positioning, eventually faced decline due to the silting up of its harbor, leading to a loss of wealth and favor among the rich and powerful, exacerbated by the rise of Christianity and the redirection of funds to sites with Christian heritage, ultimately resulting in Ilium's demise by 650 AD.
