Heinrich Schliemann Essay -- essays research papers fc

"We could describe (Heinrich) Schliemanns excavations on the hill of Hissarlik and consider their results without speaking of Troy or even alluding to it," Georges Perrot wrote in 1891 in his Journal des Savants. " stock-still then, they would have added a whole new chapter to the history of civilization, the history of art" (qtd. in Duch& axerophtholecircne 87). Heinrich Schliemanns life is the stuff fairy tales are do of. A poor, uneducated, and motherless boy rises through his hard work and parsimonious lifestyle to the heights of wealth (Burg 1,2). He travels the world and learns its languages ("Heinrich Schliemann"), takes a beautiful classic bride, and together they unearth the treasures of Troy and the citadel of Agamemnon, thereby fulfilling the dream he has chased since childhood (Calder 18,19 Burg 8). Indeed, by presenting his life in romantic autobiographies as a series of adventures, starring Heinrich Schliemann as the epic hero (Duch&ecircne 14), he ensured his status as a lasting folk hero and without end bestseller (Calder 19).The reality was that Heinrich Schliemann was an incredible con man, a generally unlikable braggart who succeeded only because of his queer mix of genius and fraudulence. He had a shylocks conscience when it came to stage business dealings, and his shady methods pervaded both his life and his archaeology (Burg, 15-31). Schliemann had a habit of rewriting his past in order to paint a more dramatic find of himself. Among the events he reported that have been found to be grossly untrue are his tales of being entertained by the American president Millard Fillmore and his wife in 1851, and his narrow escape from the San Francisco fire of that same year (Traill 9-13). More disturbing is when he applies these tactics to his archaeology. In December of 1981 Professor David Traill, a Latinist, concluded that the " nurse of Priam", Schliemanns most impressive find at Troy, was actually a composi te of several small finds uncovered from beyond the walls of the city. Schliemann had collected the pieces from 1871 to 1873 in order to asseverate a single find large enough to earn him the respect of fellow archaeologists, and also permission from the British to excavate at Mycenae (Calder 33). Twenty geezerhood of research led the Traill to the belief that, "the question is no longer whether but rather t... ...tp//www.astro.virginia.edu/eww6n/bios/Schliemann/&gt"Homeric Questions Part III - Archaeology- 9/6/98." The exploit Company, &lthttp//archaeology.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa090698.htm?pid=2765&ampcob=home&gt(6 September 1998)Kiernan, Mary K. "Heinrich Schliemann." Lecture at Vero Beach gamey School, 21 October 1997.Lost Treasures of Troy. BBC, London. 1994"The Minoan Costume." FirstNet, &lthttp//www.firstnethou.com/annam/costhist.html/minoan.html/index.html&gtTraill, David. Schliemann of Troy Treasure and Deceit. New Yor k St. Martins Press, 1995."Troy." Thinkquest Organization, &lthttp//www.thinkquest.org/tqfans.html&gt"Troy VI." Dartmouth Archaeology,&lthttp//devlab.cs.dartmouth.edu/history/bronze_age/lessons/23.html&gt" troy weight 4000 year old Ancient City." &lthttp//www.iit.edu/agunsal/truva/truva/truva.html&gt"Western Anatolia and the Eastern Aegean." &lthttp//devlab.dartmouth.edu/history/bronze_age/lessons/7.html9&gt(3 July 1996)&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp