Heinrich Schliemann leveraged a fortune earned in international trade to pursue the physical location of Homeric cities, fundamentally altering the practice of archaeology. Born in 1822 in Neubukow, he transitioned from a successful merchant and polyglot to an excavator whose work in the Ottoman Empire and Greece remains a defining, if contentious, part of the nineteenth-century intellectual record.
Commercial Foundations and Linguistic Prowess
Before his archaeological career, Schliemann established himself as a versatile businessperson and merchant. Working in Paris, Saint Petersburg, and Athens, he built substantial capital in the importing trade. His professional life was defined by an extraordinary capacity for language; he became a fluent polyglot, eventually mastering over a dozen languages, including German, English, Russian, and Greek. This facility for communication facilitated his rapid movement across international markets and provided the financial independence required for his later academic pursuits.
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In 1866, Schliemann began studies at the University of Paris, later securing a doctorate from the University of Rostock in 1869. He viewed his commercial success as a precursor to his primary objective: uncovering the sites described in the works of Homer. His early publications, such as Ithaca, the Peloponnese, and Troy, argued for the historicity of locations in the Ottoman Empire. He was recognized by his peers, eventually holding memberships in the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the German Archaeological Institute, and the American Antiquarian Society.
Excavations and Legacy
Schliemann is most recognized for his excavations at Hisarlık—identified as Troy—as well as his work at Mycenae and Tiryns. His methodology, documented in texts including Mycenæ, Troja, and Ilios: The City and Country of the Trojans, was often controversial for its destructive nature toward historical strata. Despite criticism from professional contemporaries, his efforts brought global attention to the physical existence of sites previously treated as mythology. He received the Royal Gold Medal in 1885 and an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford before his death in Naples in 1890.
Fast facts
- Born: 1822, Neubukow
- Died: 1890, Naples
- Citizenship: United States, Russian Empire, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Key Sites Excavated: Troy (Hisarlık), Mycenae, Tiryns
- Education: University of Rostock, University of Paris
- Notable Publication: Ilios: The City and Country of the Trojans
- Professional Membership: German Archaeological Institute
- Burial Place: First Cemetery of Athens
Questions readers ask
What was Heinrich Schliemann's primary occupation?
He was a multifaceted individual who worked as a merchant and businessperson before transitioning into the fields of archaeology and art history.
Where is Heinrich Schliemann buried?
Following his death in 1890, he was interred at the First Cemetery of Athens.
Achievements
- Notable work: Ithaca, the Peloponnese, and Troy
- Notable work: Trojanische Alterthümer
- Notable work: Troja
- Notable work: Mycenæ
- Educated at University of Rostock and University of Paris
- Worked as businessperson, art historian and archaeologist
