Heinrich Schliemann discovers Priam's Treasure at Hisarlik

Background. Heinrich Schliemann, a German businessman and archaeologist, sought the historical Troy in northwestern Turkey. Guided by Frank Calvert, he excavated Hisarlik from 1871 to 1873, uncovering ruins of cities dating from the Bronze Age to the Roman period. Schliemann aimed to find sites mentioned in Homeric epics, leading him to assign discovered artifacts to the legendary King Priam, despite later evidence suggesting the layers were too early for Priam's lifetime.

Discovery of the Treasure. Schliemann described a moment of discovery on or about May 27, 1873, finding gold artifacts including diadems, rings, and bracelets. He named this cache "Priam's Treasure." However, Schliemann later admitted fabricating the narrative, claiming his wife Sophie was present when she was actually in Athens. The artifacts were found in the Troy II layer, which is hundreds of years earlier than the Troy VI or VII associated with King Priam.

Controversy and Authenticity. Schliemann's methods were criticized for rough excavation and lack of proper record keeping. He smuggled the treasure out of Anatolia, later trading some to the Ottoman government for permission to dig again. Doubts about the authenticity of the treasure and its story have long been raised, particularly regarding Schliemann's haste in naming it after Priam and his falsified descriptions of the finding circumstances.