Clay Tablets, Helen of Troy, and other things

[mol]

The legend has dominated Western culture for more than 3,000 years - the kidnapping of the most beautiful woman in the world, the thousand ships sent to bring her back, and the bloody 10-year war that followed.

Now a leading British historian claims that the true story of Troy is finally about to be uncovered. Bettany Hughes, currently making a television series about ancient Greece, says that a number of recently unearthed clay tablets hold "the keys" to the compelling tale of Helen, Paris and the siege of Troy.

The famous story - originally told in Homer's epic poem The Iliad - has always been considered more myth than reality. Now, says Ms Hughes, a collection of shattered tablets discovered beneath the Greek city of Thebes could completely overturn that belief.

"There is no doubt that this discovery is one of the keys that will unlock the story of Troy," Ms Hughes said yesterday. "The tablets that have been rescued at Thebes mean we are having to re-draft the Bronze Age map. What is emerging is a picture of a world remarkably close to that described by Homer."

More:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=517310

[Kaylara]

Mol,
Thank you so much for posting this!

[Druchii]

is cool as heck. Do you know when the series will debut?

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Great article, thanks.

[mol]

is cool as heck. Do you know when the series will debut?
I have no idea! :p

[Nighthawk]

Wow!! I wanna see this

[Mnemosyne]

Wow, fascinating find!!!

Personally, I do believe that the Trojan War is more than just myth. The German archaeologist Schliemann was really into Homer's Iliad. He used points from the work to find Troy. If the Trojan War was just myth, I don't think that Schliemann would have made such a discovery.

[morrigen]

It's such a shame that when Schleimann made all of those fascinating discoveries, he wasn't satisfied with simply presenting them to the world...buut had to make up all of the nonsense that is still making things difficult for archaeologists today...and the preservation techniques they had then were, well, non-existant.

I know alot of archaeologists today don't think much of Schliemann, but if nothing else, he did some fascinating things.

[SylverStar]

Awesome. Thanks Mol for sharing.

[Athena-Nadine]

Wow, fascinating find!!!

Personally, I do believe that the Trojan War is more than just myth. The German archaeologist Schliemann was really into Homer's Iliad. He used points from the work to find Troy. If the Trojan War was just myth, I don't think that Schliemann would have made such a discovery.(note: I didn't read the article yet)

*...nods...* It's been thought for a while now that Illian was razed more than once, either by natural disaster or war. There is evidence of more than one city built upon another. It has been believed for a long time now that the Trojan war happened, just not that it happened the way the Illiad said it did. The story of Helen was always thought to be a myth (though even in ancient Greece Helen was used as an excuse for a war that was decreed to happen). It was always thought to be politically motivated.

They've begun excavations on Illian again. If I can find the link with the story, I'll post it. :)

[Mnemosyne]

(note: I didn't read the article yet)

*...nods...* It's been thought for a while now that Illian was razed more than once, either by natural disaster or war. There is evidence of more than one city built upon another. It has been believed for a long time now that the Trojan war happened, just not that it happened the way the Illiad said it did. The story of Helen was always thought to be a myth (though even in ancient Greece Helen was used as an excuse for a war that was decreed to happen). It was always thought to be politically motivated.

They've begun excavations on Illian again. If I can find the link with the story, I'll post it. :)

Fabulous! Hope that you find the link. :)

[Azure]

Here you go:

http://www.archaeology.org/0405/etc/troy.html

Just did a little 10 Things You Don't Know About Troy thing for the newspaper I write for, to coinside with the movie's opening.

The digs at Troy VI/VIIa (Hirsarkh) definitely show evidence of violence and burning. However there isnt' any historical evidence for Paris, Helen et al. I doubt they find any - although some of the commanders might have been based on real generals. In "Homer's" time, the remains of the citadel at VIIa would have still been visible, and a source of inspiration - they were apparently quite impressive.
Of course, we don't know whether Homer himself was real or not - more likely "he" was several people.

The problem with Schliemann is he was a compulsive liar and grandstander - there's evidence he altered finds at Mycenae, for example, to make things appear more like he imagined them to be. He marketed the gold from Troy II as "Priam's Treasure" then swiped it and ran from Turkish authorities - all the way to Berlin.

Still, it would be cool to discover absolute proof of a Bronze Age war that matched some of the legends of Troy. As you'll see from the link, there is some evidence from the Hittites that it took place.

[mucgwyrt]

(note: I didn't read the article yet)

*...nods...* It's been thought for a while now that Illian was razed more than once, either by natural disaster or war. There is evidence of more than one city built upon another. It has been believed for a long time now that the Trojan war happened, just not that it happened the way the Illiad said it did. The story of Helen was always thought to be a myth (though even in ancient Greece Helen was used as an excuse for a war that was decreed to happen). It was always thought to be politically motivated.

They've begun excavations on Illian again. If I can find the link with the story, I'll post it. :)

Kind of like how American and britain went to war with Iraq over "nuclear weapons" then? :hehehehe: