©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project

Hisarlik / Troia

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Hisarlık / Troia
Type:
 Mound
Altitude:
 85 m
Region:
 Marmara
Province:
 Çanakkale
District:
 Merkez
Village:
 Tevfikiye
Investigation Method:
 Excavation
Period:

     

Location: The ancient city of Troy/Troia/Troié is hypothetically located on the Hisarlik hill which is overlooking the shore plains formed by the Dumrek and Kara Menderes streams; 4.5 km away from the Dardanelles; 6 km from the Aegean Sea; about 30 km south of Çanakkale Province. The name which reads Troia in Hellenistic language is known as Truva in Turkey with its pronunciation in French.
Geography and Environment: The Hisarlik Tepesi measures 31.2 m in height above the plain level and ca. 200x150 m in dimensions. The ancient cities located on an outcrop on the foothill of a calcareous platform were not only built on the uphill; but also on the slopes (lower city). It houses a cultural deposit of 16 m thick. The geomorphological studies suggested that the Troy of EBA was located on the shore of a small bay where the Kara Menderes and the Dümrek streams spill to. The site is very suitable for occupation.
History:
Research and Excavation: The Hisarlık Hill was discovered by F. Calvert, a collector and once the British Consulate at Çanakkale, and several small excavations were carried out in 1863 and 1865. Following a small sounding conducted in 1870, an extensive sequence of campaigns was started by H. Schliemann in 1871-72; 1878-79; 1882-83; 1889 and 1890. H. Schliemann funded the excavations by himself, and included F. Calvert, R. Virchov and W. Dörpfeld in this team. By the particular contribution of W. Dörpfeld, an architect, it was observed that the cities of the mound were located overlapping each other and the stratification was identified. The mound was excavated starting from the centre like a ditch. Many of the architectural remains were destroyed before documented, and most of the finds recovered were smuggled with or without permissions. H. Schliemann was mainly concerned with proving that the ancient city of Troy was located at Hisarlik Tepe, not with the recovery of archaeological finds. Following his death, the excavation was taken over by W. Dörpfeld in 1893-94. In 1932, C.W. Blegen started the third campaign of excavations in the name of the Cincinnati University and continued until 1938. C.W. Blegen didn't enlarge the excavation area, rather concentrated on the previously excavated areas. As a result of these excavations, C.W. Blegen and his team published the culture of Troy in detail. Following an interlude of 50 years, excavations at Troia started again in 1988. An international team led by M. Korfman from the University of Tübingen excavated the site until 2006. Between 2006 and 2012 excavations were directed by E. Pernicka. Since 2013 R. Aslan and his team has been excavating at Troia. It is estimated that the mound was unearthed completely in 30 excavation seasons.
Stratigraphy: Troy I: Early Bronze Age II (ca. 2910-2550 BC) Troy II: Early Bronze Age II (ca. 2550-2250 BC) Troy III: Early Bronze Age II (ca. 2250-2200 BC) Troy IV / V: Early Bronze Age III/early Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2200-1740/30 BC) Troy VI: Middle Bronze Age/Late Bronze Age (ca.1740/30-1180 BC) Troy VIi/Troy VIIa: Late Bronze Age (ca. 1300-1800 BC) Troy VIj/Troy VIIb1: Transition to Early Iron Age (ca. 1180-1130 BC) Troy VIIb2 and Troy VIIb3: Early Bronze Age (ca.1150-950 BC) Troy VIII: Greek Ilion/From Archaic Period until Hellenistic Period (ca. 700-85 BC) Troy IX: Roman Ilium (85 AD-500 AD) Troy X: Byzantine Ilion (12nd-13rd centuries AD) [Korfmann-Mannsperger 2004:48-72].
Small Finds: Architecture: The 1999 campaign yielded a demolished building with a rounded plan from 700's BC (Geometric-Archaic Period) in Square D9 at Lower City. Next to the building was a fireplace [Korfmann 2001:280-281]. Also at the interior and outer sections of the citadel fortifications there were small buildings adjacent to the walls. A significant architectural change observed is that the lower sections belonging to the wall of VIIb2 have an irregular vertical masonry. These supportive slabs are important in architecture. They consist of stone slabs vertically placed into the lower parts of the walls, particularly in the foundations of houses. At VIIb3 the buildings were constructed according to the previous traditions, and use of suppotive slabs was discontinued [Aslan-Blum 2006:149]. The Sanctuary (Square A 8/9): This complex was founded on an area of 58x24 m to the southwest of the mound. The area contains Archaic and Roman Periods, and it is significant as it is the only post-Bronze Age complex that is known to have been used for a period lasting over a thousand years at Troy. It is divided into two; the upper and lower sanctuaries. The upper sanctuary consists of three altars of different periods, with the earliest one dating to the Late Archaic Period. There are two more altars in the lower sanctuary. Based on the terracotta figurines recovered by Blegen, it seems that the goddess worshipped here was Kybele. The sanctuary was dated to 700 BC during the excavations by Blegen. The Archaic pottery of the earliest stratum was recovered from this site. The sanctuary was in use throughout the Archaic and Classical Periods and it was re-constructed along with some other buildings at Troy during the Hellenistic Period. A huge marble altar was built during the Roman Period following the destruction at 85 BC [Kilic 1996:4-5]. Pottery: Among the earliest finds of the Attic ware recovered in the Troad region are fragment of a Sophilos type of lid dating around 580 BC and fragments of big size boxes and lekanis type of vessels [Nörling 1994:438]. The grey ware has a powerful and continuous traditional use at Troy lasting from the Bronze Age until the Iron Age [Polat 2002:191]. C. Boulter and Blegen named the ceramics uncovered from G2/3 at Troy as G2/3 ware based on their findspot. Dörpfeld and Schmidt evaluated them as qualified Geometric or Late Geometric ware, which were made of qualified light red and reddish-brown clay. They are light yellow or yellowish-brown slipped, and light red and reddish-brown, black, brown or mostly chocolate brown painted [Mommsen et al. 2001:196]. Although drinking cups such as kantharos, kylix, bowl and skyphos, and very large size of vessel forms such as jug and amphora were frequently used in the G2/3 ware of Troy, some big forms such as krater, dinos and tankard and other vessel forms such as hydria, oinochoe, small jars and amphoriskos were very rare. The G2/3 ware appeared during the transition period between the Geometric and Archaic Periods. Therefore, some vessel forms bear Archaic characteristics. Furthermore, it seems that they also carry traces of influence by the local grey ware [Fisher 1996:120]. Two third of the ceramics uncovered at Troy VIII represents monochrome Aiolian grey ware. The neutron activitation analysis proved that the Archaic and Protogeometric pottery from Troy VIII were produced at Troy [Mommsen et al. 2001:204]. The coarse and handmade ware known as Barbarian pottery are specific to Troy VIIb1. First seen at Troy VIIb1, the Barbarian pottery became common in the next layer, Troy VIIb2 [Pavuk 2001:61]. This sudden emergence of Barbarian pottery at Troy VIIb1 along with traditional and wheelmade pottery may account for arrival of foreigner immigrants at Troy, making some households in coarse ware in accordance with their requirements as they were used to. However, the potters of Troy persisted producing their qualified ceramics for people, which has been demonstrated by the presence of only 10% barbarian pottery compared to others [Koppenhöfer 1997:333]. An extremely rude, handmade pottery with asymmetrical forms known as "Buckelkeramik" or "Knobed Ware" appears as the characteristic ware of Troy VIIb2. The paste was composed of quartz, feldespat, biotite and rock fragments. The paste has a variety of color ranging from black, brown to olive gray and from reddish brown to light orange red. The mottled color on the outer surface was a result of uneven firing. For decorations, bulbs, incisions, impressions or waving techniques were used as well as other decorative elements such as triangles, cord-impressions, knots and dots. The vessels usually have a S-profile as a form [Koppenhöfer 1997:320]. It has been suggested that the Thracian tribes were the carriers of Buckelkeramik culture seen at Troy VIIb2 [Hüryılmaz 1999:2]. An analysis on the daily vessels of the Archaic Period at Troy showed that majority of the vessels uncovered were made of grey ware with only a limited number of buff-colored ware. Furthermore, both ceramic types had influenced each other in form and decoration [Kilic 1996:59]. In Trench I25, a vessel that belongs to Troy VIIb Period is found in 2009 which was unexpected. This is the first time remains from this period is encountered at such a large distance from the fort [Pernicka-Aslan 2011: 249]. Metal: The 1994 campaign yielded 6 pieces of very well preserved fibulae in bronze dating to 8th century BC or 800's BC in the sanctuary [Korfmann 1996:289].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: The transition to the Early Iron Age took place around 1130 BC. During this short transition period, former traditions were maintained while adding new elements. It has been mostly agreed that the settlement translated into another familiar culture. The handmade pottery reappeared during this phase, and a new city was established over the previous remains. However, this settlement was also brought to an end by destruction. later on, the Early Iron Age, i.e. Troy VIIb2 and VIIb3 under influence of Balkans lasts from 1150 BC to 950 BC [Aslan-Blum 2006:148]. The surveys conducted in the settlement area of Troy since 2002 revealed that the site had been occupied during the Bronze Age, Geometric - Archaic, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Periods. Although the settlement was limited during the Geometric and Archaic Periods, the borders of the city expanded to the south of the city [Jablonka 2007: 703-704].


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