Schliemann's Trojan Excavations

Abstract

THE Times of Tuesday contains several letters from Dr. Schliemann, describing the researches he has been recently making in the Trojan country in company with Dr. Virchow of Berlin, and M. Burnouf, of Athens. They endeavoured to ascertain the geological character of the plain of Troy, by sinking shafts in different parts between Mount Hissarlik and the Hellespont. Dr. Schliemann states:—“We obtained every where the same result—viz., below the clay soil a thick layer of coarse or fine river sand, and below it the very compact dark-brown clay of the plain. But the most important result was obtained by the shaft we sunk in the Stomalimne, mentioned by Strabo, which is an easily recognisable swamp, situate between the mouths of the rivers; it slopes abruptly from the plastic clay of the plain to a field of sand which is nearly on a level with the sea. Excavating there, we found below the layer of sand, which is hardly an inch thick, a layer of plastic clay, about 16 inches thick, which is perfectly the same as in the plain, and below it a dark-blue sand containing putrified vegetable matter, which can leave no doubt that here existed a swamp. The upper part of this layer of blue sand is exactly on a level with the sea and with the adjoining inlet, the water of which is brackish and has no current. Having dug in this blue sand a large hole two feet deep, we saw the water filtering from all sides through the sand and soon filling the hole completely, and thus the water's surface was on a level with both inlet and sea; but this water was sweet and drinkable. In no one of our shafts sunk elsewhere did we discover the slightest trace of the sea having ever sojourned there; everywhere we found only the produce of sweet water. Thus it is evident that the soil of the plain of Troy has been produced by sweet water, and that this deposit is anterior to the existence of both the Scamander and the Simois, the more so as the modifications produced by these rivers are but very slight.” Therefore he maintains the theory that at the time of the Trojan war the sea formed a deep gulf in the Plain of Troy, that the later Ilium (Hissarlik) was too near the Hellespont, and no space left for the great deeds of the “Iliad”; that consequently the two cities could not possibly be identical—is now exploded and can never be revived again. Both Professor Virchow and Mr. Burnouf have accepted Dr.Schliemann's theory that the immense bed of the small and insignificant rivulet Kalifatli-Asmak, which has no running water except during the inundations in winter—that this river-bed, which has in many places a breadth of from 660 ft. to 825 ft.—is identical with the ancient bed of the Scamander.