On First Seeing Troy
When I visited the site in Turkey that archaeologists generally agree is Homer’s Troy, I felt a sizzle of excitement. It thrilled me to be surrounded by the remains of a place so dear to my heart. However much the Iliad does or does not reflect actual historical events, those events feel real to me. In any case, these days, the scale tilts ever further toward the side of historical reality. The cut stones and mud-bricks are the tangible signs of life in a place called Troy.
The Complexities of this Venerable Archaeological Site
The modern Turkish name for the site is Hisarlik, and don’t go there thinking you’ll see majestic walls and a heart-thrilling view of the legendary city. Troy’s remains are what my kids used to call “ruined ruins.” You’ll have to use your imagination to build a view of Troy. It isn’t easy to figure out which walls are early layers, which might conceivably be “Homeric,” and which are Roman. The Romans scraped off a lot of what was we think was the famous citadel. In the Romans’ defense, archaeology hadn’t been invented yet. Schliemann, the first large scale excavator at the site, who dug right through all the good parts and pitched them had far less excuse for his rampant destruction of Troy.
Despite the state of the buildings, you’d think the natural setting would be a safe source of inspiration. You’d think you could stand at the top of the mound and look out to capture some sense of Homer’s battle scenes along the plain, between the rivers. You can, but beware that the shoreline has changed dramatically. You may inadvertently imagine Achilles racing along where there was actually a large bay, now fields. So, I absolutely loved going to see the site of Troy at Hisarlik, but it’s a complicated joy.
Writing, Reading, and Viewing Troy
I wrote my first novel set against the backdrop of this place so I spent a lot of time studying layers, moved shorelines, and hints of a grand city buried in the ground. The finds of recent years since I went are pretty exciting. I would happily spend time there again. The Turkish government built a new Troy museum next to the site as well where they’ve gathered many of the Troy artifacts from museums around Turkey.
However, it will always be a subtle site with a complicated history. This March the Smithsonian Magazine has published an article about the site that covers its history and discusses the current archaeological work going on there. I very much enjoyed the piece. Here is the link to enjoy reading, Smithsonian Magazine, “In Search of Troy: It wasn’t just a legend. Archaeologists are getting to the bottom of the city celebrated by Homer nearly 3,000 years ago.”
You can read about my novel set within the Trojan War, Hand of Fire, here.