Heinrich Schliemann is a figure that has been causing irreconcilable disputes for over a hundred years. To some, he is a genius self-taught individual who realized his childhood dream and proved the reality of Homeric Troy. To others, he is an unprincipled adventurer who fitted facts to his theory, destroyed a unique archaeological site, and pocketed treasures. So who was he really? The answer, as often happens, lies somewhere in the middle between these two extremes. The Great Argument: Troy as Reality The main achievement of Schliemann, which outweighs any accusations, is the discovery itself. In the 19th century, most scholars considered Troy and the Trojan War to be pure fiction by Homer, without any historical foundation. Armed with the text of the \"Iliad\" and money accumulated in Russia, without any special education but with an obsession, Schliemann proved the opposite. He found a city that had long been considered mythical, making one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history. This fact remains uncontested. Uncontested Accusations: Fraud and Destruction On the other hand, Schliemann's methods were, to put it mildly, far from scientific. He could be called the antithesis of a modern archaeologist. In the pursuit of fame and sensation, he: Destroyed cultural layers: Convinced that Troy must be located at the base of the hill, Schliemann ordered two huge trenches to be dug, destroying the upper layers related to later periods. In this way, he irretrievably lost a significant part of information about the cities of Troy VI and Troy VII, which, as later established by scholars, are the Homeric Troy. Forged finds: The most famous example is the \"Treasure of Priam,\" supposedly found in one place. Research shows that this was an artificial collection, assembled from different finds and different layers to create an effect. Was inaccurate in details: His diaries and reports often do not coincide with re ... Read more