25 Aug 22 Troy

 

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in August 2022. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).
Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone (none available for today) are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.

The Viking Daily newsletter showed today's weather forecast as "Scattered Showers 79° F."

We woke at 6-something am and got room service breakfast.

Thursday, August 25, 7:25 AM - Viking Sky: Don with breakfast of our veranda.

7:27 AM - Viking Sky: MT with breakfast of our veranda.

At this point, the Viking Sky was still sailing, past some island(s) and many cargo ships. before its scheduled arrival at the Port of  Çanakkale at 11:30 am.

7:52 AM - Viking Sky: sunrise while passing two ships and islands in distance, with veranda railing.

7:52 AM - Viking Sky: sunrise while passing two ships and islands in distance.

8:14 AM - Viking Sky: passing two ships and island (clearer)  in distance.

8:40 AM - Viking Sky: passing cargo ship (closer) and island in distance.

Around 11:30 am, we went down to the pier to meet our guide Haken and tour group Viking Sky 18 for our (included) shore excursion "Çanakkale & Troy."

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion Çanakkale & Troy as follows:
Price: Included
Duration: 4.00 Hours TRCAK01
Date: August 25, 2022 12:00 PM Limited Availability, 12:15 PM Available, 12:30 PM Available, 12:45 PM Available
A Legendary Ancient City -- Explore legendary Troy with an expert guide and take in the sights of Canakkale. Once a thriving ancient city of Asia Minor, today’s archaeological site of Troy shows evidence that as many as nine cities existed on this spot over millennia. But it is most remembered as the setting of the Trojan War, described by Homer in the “Iliad.” Troy saw its peak as part of the Roman Empire under Augustus, but lost its sway as Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire rose to prominence. You will meet your guide and drive into Anatolia to view this incredibly preserved city. Hear the story of Helen of Troy and see the walls that were besieged during the famous war. As you explore, your guide will bring a rich history to life. Later, return to Canakkale for an orientation tour and time to explore on your own before returning to your ship.

 Our bus (18) first stopped at a square on the waterfront in Çanakkale, 

 

Çanakkale is a city (pop. 195,439) and seaport in the Çanakkale Province of Turkey. It is located on the southern shore of the Dardanelles at the narrowest point of the strait. It is the nearest major urban center to the ancient city of Troy, which is also in the Çanakkale Province. Thus, it is the main base for visits to the ruins of Troy.
Çanakkale was originally the site of an Ottoman fortress called Kal’ a-I Sultaniye , meaning “fortress of the Sultan.” The Greek-Byzantine name for Çanakkale was Dardanella, from which the English name of the city and the strait was derived. The British used that name into the 19th century. From the 17th century, however, the town became known for its glazed ceramics, hence the name Çanak kalesi, meaning “Pottery Castle.” It was adopted as the official term for the town in 1890. By 1920, the city had a population of around 22,000 and was a busy port, serving as a stopping point for vessels traveling through the strait.

On this square was a replica of the Trojan Horse used in the 2004 movie "Troy." Our guide said it was made of plastic.

1:05 PM - Çanakkale: replica of Trojan Horse - front and left side (our right).

1:07 PM - Çanakkale: replica of Trojan Horse - front and left side (our right) with MT.

1:08 PM - Çanakkale: replica of Trojan Horse - front and left side (legs only) with Don and MT.

1:08 PM - Çanakkale: replica of Trojan Horse - front and left side (almost whole horse) with Don and MT.

1:09 PM - Çanakkale: replica of Trojan Horse - front and left side (MT got the whole horse) with Don.

1:11 PM - Çanakkale: replica of Trojan Horse - front and right side (our left) in middle of square.

1:17 PM - Çanakkale: replica of Trojan Horse - left side.

1:18 PM - Çanakkale: sign for "THE TROJAN HORSE"; English part of text, at bottom, reads:

"The ancient city of Troy, where the Trojan War was, as stated in the legend attributed to the abduction of beautiful Helen; in fact, it was  the wealth of Troy. The Achaeans, who had failed to capture this wealthy city at the end of the war lasting for ten years, finally achieved it through a devious plan. They made a wooden horse in which they hid their own warriors and  left it in front of the gate of the city. They also sailed away in their ships to beyond of the Tenedos.

"Next morning, it was silent everywhere. When the Trojans woke up. they saw  wooden horse, not Greek ships, in front of the rampart gate. After a little hesitation, they brought it into the town and celebrated in honor of this event. When almost everyone had gotten drunk and fallen asleep after a splendid entertainment, the Greek warriors came out of the wooden 

horse, opened the city gates for their own warriors waiting outside, and set Troy on fire and plundered it.

"This event affected people so much that, aver [sic! (over] of years, it became a legend and the subject of various works of aft, including the cinema. The film "Troy", a Warner Bross [sic!] production, broke box-office record when it was first released in 2004.

"This model horse, used in the movie "Troy" in which Brad Pitt acted the leading role of the Greek warrior Achilles, has been on display in our city from September 15, 2004."

1:47 PM - On highway to Troy: mosque and minarets in distance, through bus windshield.

Finally, we arrived at the archaeological site of Troy.

The Viking Daily newsletter had the following description of “Troy (Çanakkale), Turkey”:
“Located on the Dardanelles, a key waterway linking the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean Sea, Çanakkale was an object of desire dating back to the ancient Greeks. Today, the nearby ruins of Troy, once a powerhouse of Asia Minor, provide a glimpse of the region’s former glory. The remarkably preserved structures of this UNESCO World Heritage Site offer hints of life here in the days of Alexander the Great and the later Roman Emperor Augustus. But it is the fabled Trojan Horse that is most prominent here. In Homer’s Iliad, the wooden steed gave ancient Greeks entry to the city during the Trojan War, and its legend is still very much alive today.”

  

Troy, also known as Ilion, was an ancient city located in the Çanakkale Province of present-day Turkey, 19 miles (30 km) from the city of Çanakkale. In ancient Greek literature, Troy is portrayed as a powerful kingdom, ruled by the Achaeans until the Trojan War led to its complete destruction by the Greeks. In the Archaic era (ca. 800 BC-480 BC), a new city was built at the site where the legendary Troy was believed to have stood. Until the late 19th century, scholars regarded the Trojan War as entirely legendary. However, starting in 1871, Frank Calvert (1828-1908, English expatriate and amateur archaeologist) and Heinrich Schliemann (1822-90, German businessman and pioneer archaeologist) excavated the site of the classical era city, under whose ruins they found the remains of numerous earlier settlements. Several of these layers resembled literary depictions of Troy, leading some scholars to conclude there was a kernel of truth underlying the legends.
After subsequent excavations, the archaeological site of Troy consists of nine major layers, the earliest dating from the Early Bronze Age, the latest from the Byzantine era. Each of these layers has sublayers (designated by lower-case letters) and further subdivisions designated by numbers, e.g. VIIa and VIIb with subdivisions VIIb1 and VIIb2) for a total of 46 strata. An additional layer, first identified in 2019 and known as Troy 0 predates the layers that were previously given Roman numeral designations.
 

Schematic of the archaeological site (By Bibi Saint-Pol - Own work. Data from http://www.goddess-athena.org/Museum/Temples/Troy/Troy_Plan.html and http://clubachille.free.fr/img_armees/troie_plan.jpg., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1639504).
Schematic of the site: 1: Gate 2: City Wall 3: Megarons 4: FN Gate 5: FO Gate 6: FM Gate and Ramp 7: FJ Gate 8: City Wall 9: Megarons 10: City Wall 11: VI. S Gate 12: VI. H Tower 13: VI. R Gate 14: VI. G Tower 15: Well-Cistern 16: VI. T Dardanos Gate 17: VI. I Tower 18: VI. U Gate 19: VI. A House 20: VI. M Palace-Storage House 21: Pillar House 22: VI. F House with columns 23: VI. C House 24: VI. E House 25: VII. Storage 26: Temple of Athena 27: Propylaeum 28: Outer Court Wall 29: Inner Court Wall 30: Holy Place 31: Water Work 32: Bouleuterion 33: Odeon 34: Bath.
 
The layers have been given dates based on Carbon 14 dating of artifacts found in them. Troy 0 (ca. 3600-3500 to 3000 BC), I (3000-2500 BC), II (2500-2300 BC), III (2300-2200 BC), IV (2200-2000 BC), V (2000-1750 BC), VI (1750-1300 BC), VIIa (1300-1180 BC), VIIb (1180-950 BC), VIII (950-85 BC)., IX (85 BC-500 AD).

Troy V-VII was a major Late Bronze Age city consisting of a steep fortified citadel and a sprawling lower town below it. Although VI and VII were given separate labels by early excavators, current research shows that the first several sublayers of Troy VII were in fact continuations of the earlier city. However, the original terms are still used to avoid confusion.

2:22 PM - Troy: another replica of Trojan Horse, this time made of wood, left rear.

2:23 PM - Troy: another replica of Trojan Horse, this time made of wood, left side.

2:25 PM - Troy: sign about 9 layers of Troy; English part of text at very top reads: "Why does Troy have so many superimposed strata?" (mild telephoto 58 mm).

2:25 PM - Troy: sign about 9 layers of Troy; English part of text at top reads: "Why does Troy have so many superimposed strata?"; our guide Haken pointing to diagram at bottom left with an overview of the site with layers color coated to match the colors in the timeline at the top, with layers 1-9 from left to right (mild telephoto 58 mm).

2:26 PM - Troy: sign about 9 layers of Troy; our guide Haken (with red paddle for tour group "Viking Sky 18") pointing to the oldest layer (1) in the timeline.

2:34 PM (Cropped) - Troy: sign about 9 layers of Troy; diagram at bottom left with an overview of the site with layers color coated to match the colors in the timeline at the top; gray at bottom center is level I; immediately above it is II in yellow; above and to the sides of that is IV in white; above and around that is V in white; slanting down on left and right is VI in pink; next level up in VII in dark blue; at the top left is VIII-IX in light blue, fading into IX in lighter blue; at the very top in VIII-IX but in white.

2:35 PM - Troy: Pithos Garden with large jars and clay pipes from Roman times.

2:35 PM - Troy: sign for "THE PITHOS GARDEN"; English text at right reads:

"The Pithos

"The large (tall, slender and somewhat barrel-shaped storage vessels known as pithoi [plural of pithos] represent one of the earliest shapes typical of Mediterranean and Near Eastern pottery. The pithos provided not only cool and safe storage for olive oil, wine, and grain, but served in nautical transport as well. Often as tall as a man, these thick walled vessels are frequently found half buried in the floors of pantries and storerooms (explaining why they are typically pointed at the bottom with no flat base upon which to stand). Discarded pithoi sometimes lined the edges of wells, and from the Early Bronze Age onward were often recycled as burial urns.

"Ceramic Water Pipes

"The Roman architect and writer Vitruvius, who educated nearly every detail of contemporary building in his work De Architectura, discussed water pipes in Chapter vi of Book VII, which describes three methods of channeling water: stone channels, lead pipes, and pipes of clay. Of the three, he recommended pipes of clay as being easier to produce and more economical than stone, and much healthier than those made of lead. The sturdy clay pipes found at Troy, articulated to fit one inside the next, correspond to his recommendations and resemble many other water pipes found throughout the Roman world. The joints were sealed with a mixture of slaked lime and oil. Bends and bifurcators were usually facilitated by units chiseled from stone.

Grinding Stones and Pestles

"The cereal grains represent  one of the very earliest foods in the human diet. Seeds of wild grasses gathered in the surroundings had always provided a source of nourishment. These were first selected for planting and reaping  some 10,000 years ago at the very beginning of the Neolithic settled economy; they very soon became a staple. Before the harvested grain could be used, however, it had to be hulled and ground.

"Threshing sleds and basins for stamping came into play as did  grinding stones (the latter remaining in use through recent times). To facilitate storage and preservation, only as much grain as required would be cracked or pulverized shortly before use; this meant at least one grindstone for each household. Over the centuries these articles have remained practically unaltered in form. Grain is scattered over the surface of a flat or saddle-shaped grinding stone and energetically ground with a hand held pestle (generally ovoid or cylindrical in form).

"To achieve a relatively fine flour like substance, both stones employed must be rough in texture, yet hard and resistant to minimize the amount of grit in the resulting product. Granite and basalt were used whenever available. Such hand mills represented standard practice until the practical turnstile mill was eventually introduced into Mesopotamia ca. 1000 BC, reaching some outlying regions only one millennium later. It seems to have been the girls and women of antiquity who were primarily responsible for this long and exhausting process. This is suggested not only by ancient Egyptian frescoes, but also by morphological changes in the joints of female skeletons."

English caption of top photo reads: "Large storage vessels in Megaron VI A (Late Bronze Age, 15th-13th cent. BC)."

English caption of bottom photo reads: "Clay pipes employed in Troy IX (Roman Ilium)."

2:36 PM - Troy: pieces of columns across the road from Pithos Garden.

2:37 PM - Troy: sign pointing directions to things on various layers.

2:37 PM (Cropped) - Troy: sign pointing right to "The Northeast Bastion (Troy VI)", straight ahead to "The East Wall (Troy VI)" and "The Temple of Athena (Troy VIII-IX), and left to "The South Gate (Troy VI)" and "The Odeion (Troy VIII-IX)."

2:38 PM - Troy: sign pointing right to layer "VI," where we turned in that direction.

2:38 PM - Troy: another sign pointing to layer "VI," this time to the left, where we turned in that direction rather than going up steps.

2:39 PM - Troy: sign for "TROY VI THE EAST WALL"; English text at right reads:

"You are now standing on the remains of the outer wall of the Greek and Roman temple precinct, which was built in the third and second centuries B.C. (Troy VIII.

"In front of you lie the fortifications of Troy/Ilios. You will recognize the East Tower, the East Wall (with its gate), and behind them the palaces-all of the Troy VI period (c. 1700-1250 BC). On the fortification-wall you can see remains of Troy VII houses. Troy VI was probably destroyed c. 1250 BC by an earthquake. Troy VIIa (c. 1180 BC) and VIIb by fire. Behind you lies the lower town of Greek and Roman Ilion. To the north are the Dardanelles, and the plain of the Kara Mendenes (the ancient Scamander) extends to the west. To the southeast you can see the peaks of the Kar Daglan (the Ida Mountains) on a clear day; to the southwest are one of the burial mounds (Uvecik Tepe) and the harbour-bay on the Aegean coast, visible as a depression, with the island of Bozcaada (Tenedos) in the distance.

"The East Wall and Gate

"The total circumference of the Late Bronze Age fortification-wall around the citadel amounts to 550 metres, of which approximately 330 are still preserved. The section in front of you displays a highly refined technique of construction, with careful working of the rectangular limestone blocks. This wall is subdivided by vertical offsets placed at regular intervals. These continued the lines of the corners of the timber-framed superstructure that probably once stood on the wall, thereby providing (as it were) a visual foundation. The slightly inward-sloping substructure of the wall is 6 m high and 4.5-5 m thick. The superstructure, no longer preserved, rose a further 3-4 m. Besides timber beams, this was initially built of sundried mudbrick, but in time the whole superstructure was replaced by a narrow stone wall. Two overlapping sections of wall constitute the entrance to the citadel. Already in the Hellenistic period, the eastern wall of this gateway was deeply cut into by the foundation wall of the temple precinct.

"The East Tower

"This massive tower, built outside the wall only in a late phase of Troy VI, is very carefully worked. It is eleven metres wide and projects eight meres from the face of the wall. Its eastern wall is three metres thick. The tower consisted of two storeys with a wooden floor in between. Access to the tower was only possible at second-storey level.

 

"The Palaces

"Palaces VIE and VIF each have only one interior room of 64 and 98 sq. m., respectively. Their outer walls are one metre thick and are oriented towards a point at the centre of the citadel, protruding buildings than are trapezoidal in plan. Within the west wall of Palace VIF are recesses that once held wooden beams. On the floor are stone bases for pillars. The room had two entrances. The retaining wall of VIF displays an advanced technique of construction that dates it to the end of the Troy VI period (c. 1400-1250 BC). This wall, too, exhibits the 'offset' technique. Buildings VIE and VIF were separated by a passageway approximately one metre wide."

To the right of this sign is a stone marker for "ILIOS/WILUSA."

2:39 PM (Cropped) - Troy: Troy VI - English caption of diagram at top reads: "Troy VI citadel and palaces (Middle and Late Bronze Age, 17th-13th centuries BC)."

2:39 PM (Cropped) - Troy: Troy VI - English caption of center photo reads: "The East Tower and East Gate of Troy VI during the Dörpfeld excavations in 1894. (Late Bronze Age, 15th-13th cent. BCE)."

2:39 PM (Cropped) - Troy: Troy VI - English caption of bottom photo reads: "Reconstruction of Troy VI. O Ch. Haufner."

2:39 PM - Troy: stone marker for "ILIOS/WILUSA."

Wilusa or Wilusiya was a Late Bronze Age city in western Anatolia (comprising approximately the western two-thirds of the Asian part of Turkey). The city is known from references in fragmentary Hittite records. The city is notable for its identification with the archaeological site of Troy, and thus its potential connection to the legendary Trojan War. Wilusa first appears in the historical record around 1400 BC. The name “Wilusa” and the associated placename “Taruisa” also found in the Hittite texts show striking parallels to the Greek names “Willios” (Ilios or Ilium) and “Troia” (Troy).

2:39 PM - Troy: MT and our guide Haken with Troy VI behind stone marker for "ILIOS/WILUSA."

2:39 PM - Troy: Troy VI - in center is Tower at the East Gate Complex.

2:41 PM - Troy: Troy VI - Our guide Haken pointing out wall made without mortar (before discovery of cement)."

2:42 PM - Troy: Troy VI - wooden walkway by wall and East Gate cul de sac (Troy IX walls on the right).

2:42 PM - Troy: our guide said this was part of Troy VIII.

2:43 PM - Troy: our guide talking about how two sections of the citadel wall were joined.

2:43 PM - Troy: Troy VI - more wall.

2:44 PM - Troy: Troy VI - more wall.

2:44 PM - Troy: Troy VI - more wall, with yellowed stone.

2:45 PM - Troy: Troy VI - open space.

2:46 PM - Troy: Troy VI - open space, with higher level on left.

2:46 PM - Troy: our guide Haken leading us up steps to higher level.

2:47 PM - Troy: steps going down, in distance.

2:47 PM - Troy: Troy VIII-IX - Temple of Athena, built over the ruins of the Bronze Age palatial complex; view down to where sea used to be.

2:47 PM - Troy: view down to where sea used to be.

2:49 PM - Troy: Troy VIII-IX - Temple of Athena, with sign at right.

2:49 PM - Troy: Troy VIII-IX - our guide Haken pointing to sign for Temple of Athena.

2:51 PM - Troy: sign for "THE TEMPLE OF ATHENA TROY VIII-IX"; English text at right reads:

"There you are now standing was once the forecourt of the temple of Athena bel0nging to the Greek and Roman city of Ilion. Looking down, you can see in the centre of the mound a wide area at a lower level. This was excavated by Schliemann and Dörpfeld. The marble architectural fragments lying there originally belonged to the temple of Athena. The temple, whose base measured 36m x 16m, was surrounded by a Doric colonnade supporting a coffered ceiling. Outside, on the entablature, were metopes (reliefs), the most famous of which shows Apollo/Helios. This is now displayed in Berlin. The temple was probably under construction for nearly a century, from ca. 240-150 BC. It was restored in Roman times, probably by order of the emperor Augustus (31 BC-AD 14). In Greek and Roman times the temple was a focal point of a great annual festival in honor of the goddess Athena. This festival was marked by sacrifices and athletic contests."

2:51 PM (Cropped) - Troy: sign for "THE TEMPLE OF ATHENA TROY VIII-IX"; English caption of photo at top center reads: "The remains of the Temple of Athena during Dörpfeld's excavations in 1903."

2:51 PM (Cropped) - Troy: sign for "THE TEMPLE OF ATHENA TROY VIII-IX"; English caption of photo in center just below that reads: Fragment of the coffered ceiling from the Temple of Athena."

2:51 PM (Cropped) - Troy: sign for "THE TEMPLE OF ATHENA TROY VIII-IX"; English caption of photo at bottom left reads: "Reconstruction of Troia VIII, O Ch. Haufner."

2:51 PM (Cropped) - Troy: sign for "THE TEMPLE OF ATHENA TROY VIII-IX"; English caption of diagram at bottom center reads: "Reconstructed ground plan of the Temple of Athena (B. Rose)."

2:51 PM (Cropped) - Troy: sign for "THE TEMPLE OF ATHENA TROY VIII-IX"; English caption of drawing at bottom left reads: "The Temple of Athena. Reconstruction of the colonnade before the entrance."

2:51 PM - Troy: our guide Haken by sign for levels I, VIII, and IX, all to the right.

2:52 PM - Troy: MT following our guide Haken down steps.

2:52 PM - Troy: view down side of steps to bases of columns.

2:52 PM - Troy: Troy I - bases of columns with sign at left for level "I."

2:53 PM - Troy: Troy I - our guide Haken with scraps of (?) and wall.

2:54 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - citadel wall under canvas roof by wooden walkway; I think our guide Haken said the brown stones were reconstruction; there seems to be a sign by the railing at left (see following photo).

2:54 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - citadel wall under canvas roof by wooden walkway; I think our guide Haken said the brown stones were reconstruction; there seemed to be a sign by the railing at left (see following photo).

2:54 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - sign, by wall with brown stones, for "THE CITADEL WALL TROY II/III": English text at right (unfortunately blurred here but reconstructed from a Twitter photo of this sign) reads:

"From here you have a glimpse of the exterior of the citadel walls of Troy II and III (ca. 2500-2200 BCE), [those] of the Burnt city of Schliemann.

"The handmade and fired mudbricks employed in the modern reconstruction serve to protect the original crumbling and severely burnt clay bricks hidden beneath them, which are preserved  to a height of 4 m.  The heat from the flames had baked the upper and exterior surfaces of the wall to the reddish hue that the reconstruction simulated. Directly behind and parallel to the citadel fortifications lie the remains of a structure known as a megaron. When excavated in 1998-99, the mudbrick walls on the stone fortifications still stood to a height of more than 1.5 m.

"The protective roof built during the summer of 2003 has enabled us to keep the megaron as well as the preserved stretch of fortification wall visible to the public without endangering the original mudbrick masonry. The roof not only conveys the more rounded form of the mound before excavation, but has even been positioned to reflect the approximate height of the mound when Schliemann arrived in 1871. The shape, moreover, resembles a billowing sail, recalling the nearly constant northerly winds that certainly did bring riches to the site. A[sic! As?] ancient ships were compelled  to bide their time in Besik Bay awaiting a breeze from the southwest that would take them through the straits and onwards toward the Black Sea."

Top photo shows the mound with the English part of the caption that reads: "Schliemann during the [excavation] of the Troy [II or III?] [???]."

(Rest of captions illegible.)

2:55 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - corner of citadel wall.

2:55 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - more of citadel wall.

2:55 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - corner of citadel wall.

2:56 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - citadel wall under canvas roof.

2:56 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - foundations of [megaron?] by wooden walkway.

2:57 PM - Troy: Troy II/III - sign for "THE MEGARON - TROIA II/III (CA. 2300-2200 BCE)"; English text at top right reads:

"The building in front of you is a megaron, [obl]ong narrow structure with a vestibule and main room that is a forerunner of the Greek temple plan.  It is constructed of mudbrick walls on stone foundations and came to light during the excavations of 1998-99. The walls of the structure, built immediately inside the citadel fortifications, were preserved to a height of more than 1.5 m. C-14 analysis of carbonized grains of barley found inside the building provides a final date for the use of the building (destroyed by fire) between 2290 and 2200 BCE. A central hearth measured 1.2 m in diameter, white plaster covered the interior walls, and the whitewashed floor bore the imprint and charred remnants of reed mats. The wealth of finds outside indicate at least some cult activity. Just to the north of this structure are the remains of still other megarons that have only been partly excavated. A shift in the orientation of the complex demonstrates that these structures must be ascribed to a phase transitional between Troy II and III; Gate FO was clearly no longer in use."

English caption of photo at left reads: "Troy II/III, burnt traces of reed mats on the plastered floor of the megaron in Quadrant [04?]."

English caption of photo in center reads: "Ritual vessel with [???] from the megaron in Quadrant [06] [???]."

English caption of photo at right reads: "Virtual reconstruction of the megaron interior (Quadrant [0?])."

2:57 PM - Troy: signs for "DARDANELLES AND TROY PLAN" to right, "THE MEGARONS (TROY II)" straight ahead, and "THE FORTIFICATION WALL (TROY I)" straight ahead.

2:57 PM - Troy: Troy I - fortification wall, with sign for same at right.

2:58 PM - Troy: Troy I - view down to fortification wall.

2:58 PM - Troy: Troy I - sign for "TROY I / FORTIFICATION WALL"; English text at top right reads:

"Here you can see a section of the fortifications of Early and Middle Troy I, together with a tower-like projection behind which lay the south gate of this period. The gateway was only [???] metres wide. Troy I was built c. 2920 BC directly on bedrock. Archaeological deposits four metres deep suggest a long period of occupation. The slightly inward-sloping fortification-wall encloses a settlement that had a diameter of about ninety metres. 

"In front of the tower stood at least one stone stele with relief decoration showing the upper half of a human figure possibly holding a weapon. The tradition of such stelae seems to live on at Troy for centuries: over 1000 years later such stone stelae re-appear in front of the South Gate of Troia VI. Further remains of Troy I can be seen from Information-Point 12."

English caption of photo at bottom left reads: "Troy I bowls with eye decoration."

English caption of photo at bottom center reads: "Stone stele with human relief."

English caption of drawing at bottom right reads: "Plan of Troia I city."

2:58 PM - Troy: first view of Schliemann's Trench.

 

Troy: Schliemann’s Trench (By Dosseman (Own Work) at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Troy_Schliemann_trench_7753.jpg).

 
Schliemann’s Trench is a reminder of the actions or the famous amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. In search of the city of King Priam of Troy, as described by Homer in the Iliad, Schliemann made a huge trench in Hisarlik mound, 40 m wide and 17 m deep, oriented along the north-south axis. It was dug through the center of the mound between 1871 and 1873 as a test trench reaching bedrock. The trench is an example of how desperate Schliemann was to discover the Homeric Troy. Since he was confident that the legendary city must be in the lowest layer of the settlement, he had his workers dig hastily through all the higher layers. However, Schliemann was not educated as an archaeologist, and his method stands in sharp contrast with the techniques of modern archaeology, in which all the layers are carefully studied. His search resulted in irreversible damage to the site and the loss of much valuable information.
Despite the significant loss of knowledge caused by digging the trench, this place enables a better understanding of the multiple layers of Troy, similar to the layers of a wedding cake with one huge slice cut out. Standing with your back to the foundations of the Early Bronze Age houses, you can see the levels of Troy, from Troy II to Troy IX, now carefully marked by later archaeologists.
Schliemann’s methods have been described as “savage and brutal,” plowing through layers of soil and everything in them without proper record keeping—no mapping of finds and few descriptions of discoveries. However, it is only fair to remember that before 1876 very few persons, if any, yet really knew how excavations should be properly conducted. Despite his methods, this work at Troy made him famous and ignited the field of Homeric studies in the late 19th century.
 

Troy: Schliemann’s Trench , with signs for layers identified by later archaeologists as Troy III, IV, and III (By ykeiko (Own Work) at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Schliemann_Trench,_Troy_ruins_-_panoramio.jpg).

 

2:58 PM - Troy: bridge over Schliemann's Trench; red sign for Troy "I" at far end of bridge.

2:58 PM - Troy: view from bridge down into Schliemann's Trench.

2:59 PM - Troy: sign for Troy "I"  pointing to right at far end of  bridge.

2:59 PM - Troy: more of Schliemann's Trench.

2:59 PM - Troy: wall near Schliemann's Trench.

3:00 PM - Troy: wall near Schliemann's Trench.

3:00 PM - Troy: pile of rubble near Schliemann's Trench, with small signs in entrance holes identifying Troy "III" and "IV"; our group near sign for "TROY: THE VARIOUS LEVELS."

3:00 PM - Troy: closer view of entrance holes with small signs identifying Troy "III" and "IV."

3:01 PM - Troy: sign for "TROY: THE VARIOUS LEVELS"; English text at top right reads:

"An excellent insight into the strata of the mound of Hisarlik is given by the eastern profile visible to the south of where you now stand. You are situated atop the citadel fortifications of Troy II, the foundations of which reach down to bedrock. Before you lies the "Middle Trench" of Schliemann, opened in 1872. Further work by W. Dörpfeld (1893) and M. Korfmann (1990-96) has resulted in exposing a clear profile with a complete sequence of strata from Troy II through Troy IX, representing a time span from the mid third millennium BC through Roman imperial times."

3:01 PM - Troy: closer view of entrance hole with small sign identifying Troy "III."

3:01 PM - Troy: closer view of entrance hole with small sign identifying Troy "III"; with better view of trench below it.

3:04 PM - Troy: Troy II - ramp of citadel.

3:04 PM - Troy: Troy II - ramp of citadel.

3:05 PM - Troy: Troy II - citadel wall and ramp.

3:05 PM - Troy: Troy II - sign for "THE RAMP / TROY II"; English text at right reads: "From here you look out over the fortification-wall and the partially restored ramp of the Troy II citadel. Troy II was built on top of the remains of Troy Ia-Ie (i.e. Early and Middle Troy I) and is subdivided into eight building phases, IIa-IIh.

"During this period the circuit-wall was built further out several times so as to enlarge the citadel. The rebuildings can be recognized in the remains of earlier. partly walled-up gates. The wall of the final phase of Troy II, visible here, consisted of a substructure of limestone with layers of mudbrick above. In was c. 330 m long, 4 m thick, and enclosed an area of c. 8800 sq. m.

"The entrance visible from here, Gate FM, was approached by an impressive ramp paved with flat stones and flanked by mudbrick walls.

"But its size and position suggest that the eastern gate, FO, is a more plausible candidate for the main entrance to the citadel. There too there was presumably a stone ramp (unexcavated) to connect the approach-road with the higher settlement. The Troy II citadel came to an end with a catastrophic fire that left behind a burnt layer more than two metres thick.

"To the left of Gate FM Schliemann found the legendary "Priam's Treasure" in 1873 and he smuggled the treasures out of the country. This discovery, together with the burnt layer and the stone ramp (supposedly the 'Scaean Gate"), at first caused Schliemann  to believe that Troy II was the Homeric Troy/Ilios that he was looking for. He was off by a good 1200 years. But in 1890, the last year of his life, he recognized his mistake. More than twenty "Troy Treasures" are currently preserved in eight different locations in seven cities of the world, including Moscow and St. Petersburg following World War II. You can see a small part of treasures in Troy Museum."

English caption of top center phots reads: "Treasure A: 'Priam's Treasure'. (1873."

English caption of middle center photo reads: "Sophia Schliemann wears golden jewelry, part of the so-called Treasure of Priam."

English caption of photo at bottom left  reads: "Troy II fortifications-wall, and ramp belonging to Gate FM (in 1890)."

English caption of photo at bottom right reads: "Reconstruction of Gate FM and ramp. O. Ch. Haufner."

3:08 PM - Troy: Troy II - view from [citadel foundations?] down to the former sea.

3:08 PM - Troy: Troy II - [citadel foundations?] and slight view down to the former sea.

3:08 PM - Troy: Troy II - [citadel foundations?] and view of  more wooden walkway and steps.

3:09 PM - Troy: Troy II - [citadel?] wall.

 3:09 PM - Troy: Troy VI - view down to [Palace House?] and view toward former location of sea.

3:09 PM - Troy: Troy VI - [citadel?] wall, with sign for "PALACE HOUSE" in left foreground.

3:10 PM - Troy: Troy VI - sign for "TROY VI / PALACE HOUSE VIM"; English text at right reads: 

"You are now standing at the southern edge of the Troy VI citadel, directly on the great fortification wall. One should imagine the wall, which here has only its upper surface exposed, originally rising to a height of roughly five metres, like The East Wall. To your left, which is to the north and lying within the circuit of the wall, stands the impressive, battered retaining-wall of House VIM, 27 m long. The building stood on the lowest terrace of the great citadel mound and surely formed a part of the Troy VI palace complex. The ceramic finds of this period display not only an advanced, independent style, but also the influence of Mycenaean imports.

"Immediately noticeable are four vertical offsets in the wall. The stones here are carefully cut. This detail, which is not purely stylistic, occurs on other Trojan facades of the same period. It indicates, on the one hand, the taste of the occupants of the palace and their desire for prestige; on the other, it could have a functional basis related to the presumed superstructure of timber and mudbrick. The precisely cut stones fit next to one another without gaps and without mortar, as the less weathered stones in the lower part of the wall show. This achievement is all the more impressive when one considers that iron tools were not available in this period. Homer repeatedly mentions the 'beautiful' walls of Troy/Ilios.

"Between House VIM and the citadel wall ran a broad alleyway. It continues beyond House VIM, and its remains have been exposed by recent excavations. Inside the L-shaped layout of House VIM were several rooms about whose function little is known. Storage-vessels (pithoi) have been preserved, so there was storage here, A few steps indicate that there was a second storey, but none of it survives. Just as with the other buildings of the Troy VI period, the outer side walls of House VIM are oriented towards the central point of the citadel. This is evidence of a unified architectural plan, which guaranteed that streets of uniform width were situated between the buildings and continued to the centre of the citadel.

"House VIM continued in use and was enlarged during the succeeding phase of Troy VIIa. Narrow houses were built directly against the inner face of the citadel wall. Their foundations are still visible behind you, to the west."

English caption of top center photo reads: "Arrowheads of bronze and bone (Troy VI and VIIa)."

English caption of photo just below that reads: "Shards of [Mycenaean] pottery from Troy VI."

English caption of photo at bottom left reads (in part): "VIM [...] of the Troy VI citadel during the Dörpfeld excavations  (18]?]-9[?]."

English caption of photo at bottom center reads: "... of the [palace?] VIM, O. Ch. Haufner."

English caption of photo at bottom right reads: "Plan of House VIM. 1, stairs to [??] storey. 2. storage vessels (pithoi)."

0659a Troy: Troy VI – Artist’s representation of House VI M, part of the palatial complex (By Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany - Troy (Ilion), TurkeyUploaded by Marcus Cyron, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30145059).

3:10 PM - Troy: Troy VI - [Palace House?] and citadel wall.

3:10 PM - Troy: Troy VI - [Palace House?].

3:10 PM - Troy: Troy VI - [Palace House?] and view toward former sea.

3:10 PM - Troy: Troy VI - [Palace House?].

3:11 PM - Troy: Troy VI - [Palace House?] and citadel wall.

NOTE: Some sources (including info@troyexcavations.com and turkisharchaeologicalnews.net ) identify photos like this as “The Sanctuary” or “Western Sanctuary.” They say that this religious precinct was first constructed perhaps as early as 700 BC. Its foundations cut into the remnants of the lower strata of Troy VI and VII. Enclosed by a wall, the Sanctuary continued in use throughout the Hellenistic period and well into imperial Roman times, although in somewhat altered form. In early levels, a limestone altar stood near the center of the sanctuary, with one semicircular end protruding from beneath a more recent altar and a sacrificial pit. Lower on the slope are two more altars, one from the archaic period and the other from Hellenistic times. Visible today are also sacrificial pits and wells.

 

3:11 PM - Troy: Troy VI or VIII-IX - our group going down wooden steps toward sign for "SANCTUARY - TROY VIII-IX."

3:11 PM - Troy: Troy VIII-IX - sign for "SANCTUARY - TROY VIII-IX";  English text at right reads: 

"In Greek and Roman times Troy was an important religious centre, as we know from the ancient sources and from the excavation results.

"The sanctuary in front of you was founded as early as the eighth century BC. It was dug into the ruins of the lower town of Troy VI and VII and was surrounded by a wall. It remained is use throughout the Hellenistic period and long into imperial Roman times, although with many modifications. The course of the walls surrounding the sanctuary was also altered a number of times. At the centre of the upper part of the sanctuary is a limestone altar (No. 1) constructed in the late seventh or sixth century BC. Its semi-circular end is still visible beneath a later altar (No. 4) and a sacrificial pit (No. 8). In the lower part of the sanctuary are two more altars, of which one (No. 2) is Archaic in date, and the other (No. 3) was built during the Hellenistic period. Sacrificial pits (Nos. 8, 9) were installed as well. The north wall of the sanctuary (No. 10), with its carefully drafted rectangular blocks, stands in front of the Troy VI fortification-wall. It was built in the Hellenistic period. Both parts of the sanctuary were apparently renovated in the third century BC.

"The sanctuary suffered severely in the destruction of Ilion by the Roman commanded Fimbria in 85 BC. As part of a later reconstruction, probably begun during the reign of the emperor Vespasian (AD 69-790, a new altar (No. 5) was built at a higher elevation. Beside it are the stepped fortifications (No. 11) of what was probably a grandstand used for viewing religious performances. To which gods the sanctuary was dedicated is still unclear. But numerous terracotta figurines of Cybele and a horseman, perhaps the Trojan hero Dardanos, have been found in this complex, and they provide clues as to the cults that were practiced here.

"In the background you can see one of the new excavation areas. Here there additional sections of the sanctuary  coming to light, but also, importantly, a stratified sequence that spans the entire second millennium BC, encompassing Troy V, VI, and VII. This sequence, was preserved by the later cult buildings constructed over the earlier occupation layers."

English caption of diagram at top center reads: "Plan of the sanctuary (Troy VIII-IX)."

English caption of diagram just below that, at bottom center, reads: "Phase plan of the structures outside the citadel to the west (Troy V-X)."

English caption of photo at bottom left reads: "Clay plaque depicting a figure on horseback."

English caption of photo at bottom right reads: "Hellenistic terracottas."

3:11 PM - Troy: Troy VI or VII-IX - [is this Palace House or the Sanctuary?].

3:12 PM - Troy: signs for Troy "IX" and "VIIb,"  both pointing to left.

3:13 PM - Troy: [Schliemann's] Trench.

3:14 PM - Troy: Troy IX or VIIb? - ruins with stub of one standing column and part of [another?] column lying down [Pillar House or Roman baths?].

The sign for "THE ODEION TROY IX" (photo taken just 4 minutes later) says “beyond it you see … the single column surviving from the large Pillar-House.” However, the same sign also says: “Behind you stand the partially excavated remains of baths from Roman imperial times.”
 
The Pillar House, located behind the South Tower, was one of the largest houses in Troy VII (27 m x 12 m). In the hall of the house stood two pillars which probably supported a heavy roof or possibly even a second storey.
The Pillar House, rectangular in overall plan and subdivided into three major sections at its basement level, has two large pillars in its main room which taper markedly toward the top and which presumably supported columns at the level of the second storey. There are traces of an interior stairway.
 
The Wikipedia entry on Troy identified an identical photo as “Troy IX Roman bath.”

 

3:14 PM - Troy: Troy IX - Odeion, with with our guide Haken pointing to sign for "THE ODEION TROY IX" in foreground.

3:16 PM - Troy: Troy IX - sign for "THE ODEION TROY IX"; English text at right reads:

"Before you is the Roman Odeion, a [small]\ theater where concerts, lectures, and other events took place, beyond it you see the fortification wall of Troia VI and the single column surviving from the large Pillar-House of the same period. Behind you stand the partially excavated remains of baths from Roman imperial times. The baths, the Odeion, and the nearby Bouleuterion (council  chamber) all lay on the fringes of the agora (marketplace), the central stage of public life. The semicircular orchestra of the Odeion was  tied to a skene (stage building) that included an over life-size representation of the emperor Hadrian (AD 117-138). Facing the stage rose tiers of seats fashioned from limestone blocks and accessed by radial aisles. The seating capacity was somewhere between 1700 and 2100 spectators. The Odeion may have been erected in honor of Hadrian's visit to Troy in AD 124, when the nearby tomb of Ajax was also rebuilt. The Odeion was probably roofed even though no exterior supporting walls have been recovered."

English caption of photo at top center reads: "A statue of Emperor Hadrian found in the Odeion of Roman Ilium"

English caption of photo at bottom left reads: "Aerial view of the Odeion after restoration. From the south."

English caption of photo at bottom center reads: "Sculpted head of Augustus from the Odeion."

English caption of photo at bottom right reads: "Reconstruction of the Odeion."

3:17 PM - Troy: Troy IX - Odeion, view from left.

3:18 PM - Troy: Troy IX - Odeion, view from straight in front, with more of stage.

3:18 PM - Troy: Troy IX - Odeion, view from right

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3:19 PM - Troy: MT and others heading down wooden walkway toward our next stop, with our guide Haken approaching sign, by rail, for South Gate.

3:19 PM - Troy: sign for "Troy "VI," pointing to left.

3:19 PM - Troy: Troy VI-VII - ruins of South Gate, with sign for it in right foreground.

3:19 PM - Troy: Troy VI-VII - sign for "THE SOUTH GATE TROY VI-VII"; English text at right reads:

"You are now directly in front of the South Gate of Troy VI, probably the principal entrance to the citadel. Of the gate, only the roadway survives today. It led in a straight line up into the citadel and was entirely paved with stone slabs. In the middle of the road a drainage-channel possibly of Troy VII date, runs beneath the paving stones. The South Tower  (measuring 10 m x 9.5 m) was added to the citadel only later in Troy VI. The walls, whose excavation is like those of the East Tower, are built directly on bedrock and are preserved to a height of tow metres. Immediately in front of the tower stood several stone stelae - evidence of a typical, ancient Anatolian, gateway cult."

"The 'Pillar House' 

"To the left, behind the South Tower, a pillar shows the location of the 'Pillar House.' With an area of 27 m x 12 m, this was one of the largest houses in Troy VI. In the hall of the house stood two pillars which probably supported a heavy roof or possibly even a second storey."

"The Finds

"Among the commonest finds from Troy VI layers is a grey colored pottery, often decorated with wavy lines - the so-called 'Anatolian Grey Ware.' This is also found as far away as mainland Greece. Mycenaean imports give clear evidence of Troy's important role in long-distance trade. They also demonstrate the economic contacts between Troy and Mycenae, two of the great powers of the ancient Aegean."

English caption of photo at top center reads: "Reconstruction of the Troy VI city and South Gate. O. Ch. Haufner."

English caption of photo at lower center reads: "A typical bowl of Anatolian Grey Ware (Troy VI)."

3:19 PM - Troy: Troy VI-VII - South Gate.

3:20 PM - Troy: Troy VI-VII or VIII-IX? - excavation work in progress.

3:20 PM - Troy: Troy VIII-IX - Bouleuterion, with sign for it in right foreground.

3:21 PM - Troy: Troy VIII-IX - Bouleuterion.

3:21 PM - Troy: Troy VIII-IX - sign for "THE BOULEUTERION AND THE PORTICO TROY VIII-IX"; English text at right reads:

"You are now standing directly in front of the Bouleuterion (council chamber) of Greek and Roman Ilion. One part of the building lies over the Troia VI fortification-wall. The interior was enclosed on all four sides by a wall so that the council could conduct its business in private."

"The Portico for the Sanctuary of Athena Ilias

"The temenos portico at Ilion's Sanctuary of Athena was a three-sided building on the acropolis that measured about 100m x 100 m in size. The exterior was made of limestone, and a Doric façade of Proconnesian marble surrounded the interior. The portico was part of a building program at Ilion that included the Temple of Athena and a new city wall between 250 and 150 B.C. The portico also had at least two dedications inscribed on the architrave, one dating to the second century A.D. and another to perhaps the third century A.D. "Visitors entered the portico through a gatehouse (propylaia) that faced the Agora. The gatehouse had Doric porches and engaged Ionic columns between the doors, similar to the Propylaia of Mnesikles on the acropolis at Athens and the entrance to the sanctuary of Athena Polias Nikephoros at Pergamon."

English caption of diagram at bottom left reads: "Plan of the Hellenistic and Roman city of Ilion. Late Troia VIII (the Hellenistic Ilion), is shown in dark blue. Troia IX (the Roman Ilium) appears in light blue."

English caption of photo at bottom reads: "Reconstruction of the Roman Ilium (Troia IX). O. Ch. Haufner."

English caption of photo at bottom right reads: "The excavation of the Bouleuterion, 1894."

3:23 PM - Troy: fallen columns we had seen near the entrance of the archaeological site.

Cruise passengers had to be back on board the Viking Sky by 5:00 pm, when the ship would prepare to set sail for our next stop at Istanbul, Turkey (139 nautical miles).

Back on the Viking Sky, we went to the Chef's Table for dinner.