I-Heart-Mykonos-tank-top.jpg
Greek-flag-socks.jpg
Santorini-luggage-tag.jpg
save-water-drink-ouzo-t-shirt.jpg

Heinrich Schliemann

Heinrich Schliemann was a German archaeologist who explored sites connected with the writings of Homer, including Troy, Mycenae, and Ithaca, and made some extraordinary finds even if they weren't always what he thought they were.

Heinrich SchliemannHeinrich Schliemann

German-born archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890) devoted his life to pursuing the treasures hidden in the Greek earth. If at times he let his theories override the evidence, he was still a great enthusiast who discovered many of Greece's finest ancient treasures - even if they were not always exactly what he believed them to be.

Schliemann was an intriguing man. After making his business fortune partly as a military contractor in Germany, Holland, and Russia during the Crimean War, he became a US citizen while living in California in the 1850s. He then moved to Greece at the age of 46 to devote the rest of his life to archaeology. 

Heinrich Schliemann and Homer

More specifically, he had been fascinated since childhood with the works of Homer, and their mingling of myth and history. Did such places as Troy and the Palace of Odysseus really exist? Schliemann resolved to find out, even though his formal education had ended at the age of 14.

Heinrich Schliemann at Troy

He began by looking for Troy, scene of Homer's Iliad. In 1870 he began digging at Hisarlik, close to the Turkish Aegean coast, which he had identified as the probable location of the city. He found evidence of several cities having existed on the site, and declared that the second earliest of them, where there were traces of burning, was Homer's Troy.

Hisarlik in TurkeyHisarlik

It is now known that if, in fact, Troy was located there, it was one of the later levels that Schliemann had already dug through and destroyed in the process of excavation. Whatever the truth of the find - it has never been established for sure, and probably never can be - Schliemann certainly uncovered an important historical site.

Mycenae

In 1874 he moved from Troy to explore at Mycenae. He was seeking the tombs of the ancient Mycenaean kings and was determined to find the tomb of Agamemnon, to prove that this character actually existed. Schliemann uncovered a stunning golden burial mask and confidently announced to the King of Greece in a famous telegram: 'I have gazed upon the face of Agamemnon.' 

Mycenae Golden MaskThe Golden Mask, but not Agamemnon

Later dating established that it could not have been Agamemnon, even if the king had been a historical rather than legendary character. It was dated from the 16th century BC, so was too old to be that particular king. Schliemann never let the opinions or evidence of experts divert him from his own strongly-held views.

Beehive Tomb at MycenaeBeehive Tomb at Mycenae

Heinrich Schliemann and Ithaca

It was inevitable that Schliemann would move on to Ithaca, to look for historical evidence of the existence of Odysseus and his palace, and other sites described in Homer's Odyssey. It was equally inevitable that he would find something that he would identify as those sites, but again there is still no absolute proof that he was right.

IthacaIthaca

He did further important work at Tiryns, near Mycenae, and had also hoped to excavate at Knossos on Crete, another location mentioned by Homer, but he could not agree to the price being asked for access to the land.

Despite his great knowledge and enthusiasm, Schliemann was perceived by other archaeologists as an amateur and an upstart. Nevertheless it cannot be denied that he uncovered large and significant sites that other archaeologists had missed.

Other history-related pages

  • This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.

    Greek Architecture

    This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.

  • Sir Arthur Evans is the archaeologist famous for the excavations he made at the royal palace of Knossos on Crete.

    Sir Arthur Evans, archaeologist at Knossos on Crete

    Sir Arthur Evans is the archaeologist famous for the excavations he made at the royal palace of Knossos on Crete.

  • The archaeological site of Vergina in Macedonia is famous for the royal tombs which were the burial place of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.

    The Royal Tombs and Archaeological Site of Vergina in Macedonia

    The archaeological site of Vergina in Macedonia is famous for the royal tombs which were the burial place of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.

  • The home of the Greek Gods was the top of Mount Olympus, and among the better-known Gods and Goddesses in the Greek pantheon were Zeus, Poseidon and Aphrodite.

    The Greek Gods

    The home of the Greek Gods was the top of Mount Olympus, and among the better-known Gods and Goddesses in the Greek pantheon were Zeus, Poseidon and Aphrodite.

  • Did Homer write The Odyssey and The Iliad, and what is known about the life of this famous Greek writer, when did he live, where was he born, and was he blind?

    Homer and the Odyssey

    Did Homer write The Odyssey and The Iliad, and what is known about the life of this famous Greek writer, when did he live, where was he born, and was he blind?

  • A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.

    A History of Athens

    A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.

  • The Battle of Crete during World War 2 inspired several books and took place with an airborne invasion over Maleme on the north coast of the island.

    Battle of Crete

    The Battle of Crete during World War 2 inspired several books and took place with an airborne invasion over Maleme on the north coast of the island.

  •  Alexander the Great was the son of Philip II of Macedonia and gave Greece the greatest empire it has ever known.

    Alexander the Great

    Alexander the Great was the son of Philip II of Macedonia and gave Greece the greatest empire it has ever known.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Latest Posts

  1. Greece Welcomes Parthenon Fragments Returned by the Vatican

    Greece welcomed three sculpture fragments from the Parthenon, which were returned following an intervention by Pope Francis by the Vatican Museums, during a reunification ceremony in Athens. The fragm…

    Read More

  2. PM: Greece to Hold General Elections on May 21

    Greeks will be going to the polls on May 21 after the country’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced the news on Tuesday.

    Read More

  3. Transavia to Fly Direct to Kefalonia from Paris in Summer 2023

    Low-cost Dutch airline Transavia, part of the Air France-KLM group, this summer will operate direct flights between Paris and the Greek island of Kefalonia two times per week, according to the Greek N…

    Read More

  4. Greece Among Europe’s Top 10 Most Desired Destinations for Easter

    Greece is among the 10 most searched for destinations in Europe, according to travel intelligence provider ForwardKeys, as intra-European air seat capacity is set to recoup pre-pandemic levels this Ea…

    Read More

  5. Elefsina’s Archaeological Museum Reopens After Refurbishment

    The Archaeological Museum of Elefsina, one of the first archaeological museums in Greece, has reopened its doors to the public after completing maintenance and improvement works. The upgrade focused o…

    Read More

  6. Athens’ Iconic Lykavittos Theater to Reopen in Fall

    The historic Lykavittos open-air theater atop Lycabettus Hill in central Athens, will be reopening to the public following a complete revamp, announced Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis this week. The po…

    Read More

  7. Passengers Rank Thessaloniki ‘Makedonia’ Airport Among Best in Europe

    Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport has been named one of the top in Europe at the 2022 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards by the Airports Council International (ACI) World and travel technology compan…

    Read More

  8. Greece on Top 20 List of Best Countries for Entrepreneurs and Startups

    Greece is among the top 20 countries for entrepreneurs and startups, according to a recent study conducted by Compare the Market, a UK-based insurance comparison website.

    Read More

  9. Travelers from Poland Already Booking Greek Summer Holidays

    Demand from Poland is growing with 30 percent of Polish travelers having already booked their holidays to Greece, according to feedback collected by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) duri…

    Read More

  10. Europe’s Highest Growth in February Airbnb Demand was in Greece

    Demand for Airbnb-style rentals in Greece was the strongest in Europe last month despite historically being the least busy period of the year, marking a 60 percent increase compared to 2022, said anal…

    Read More