image

Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890), German archaeologist and discoverer of the ruins of the legendary city of Troy. After finishing his formal education at 14, Schliemann went into business and made his fortune. In 1863 he retired and devoted himself to finding the truth behind the ancient Greek legends, particularly the account of the Trojan War in Homer's Iliad. In 1870, Schliemann discovered ruins at Hissarlik, in Turkey, that he attributed to Homeric Troy, though it is now said that he dug through Homeric Troy and discovered an earlier Troy. He later excavated the ruins of Mycenae (1876-78), Ithaca (1878), Orchomenus (1881-82) and Tiryns (1884-85). Print published between 1870 and 1890. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)