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David A. Traill

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Schliemann of Troy: Treasure and Deceit Hardcover – January 1, 1996

by David A. Traill (Author)

3.9 19 ratings

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Using correspondence and diary entries, the author recounts the personal and professional life of the archeologist and exposes an unscrupulous individual who distorted facts and made false claims about some of his discoveries

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The history of archaeology brims with tales of grave robbers and dig salters, of men (and a few women) so bent on fame that they all but destroyed the historical record in order to extract a few precious pieces of gold, marble, or jade for distant museums or, sometimes, their own studies. Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890), who excavated Troy and Mycenae, was notorious in his own time for taking liberties with scientific method in order to prove pet theories and line his own pockets. David Traill, drawing on a trove of unpublished sources, tries a little too hard to paint Schliemann as a deviant--he was not the worst of his kind by a long shot--but he offers a rich account of how archaeology was once done, and of how history is made.

From Library Journal

This biography of the famed 19th-century excavator of Troy and Mycenae is the outgrowth of the author's scholarly research into Schliemann's correspondence and diaries. In meticulously comparing this source material with final, published excavation reports, Traill (classics, Univ. of California) finds discrepancies not only in the image that Schliemann presented to the public but also in his fieldwork; even specific instances of fraud and deceit on the part of Schliemann are uncovered here. At the same time, Traill reminds readers of the archaeologist's remarkable and indisputable accomplishments. Only an archaeologist can access the fine points of fieldwork. Therefore, this biography is certainly not for beginners. Whether the wider audience for whom this biography is intended can sift through all the details and emerge with a fair view of Schliemann and his work is debatable. However, there is valuable information here-much of it colorful and revealing, as in the portrayal of Schliemann's wife, Sophia, and their marriage. For history and biography collections and readers with previous knowledge of Schliemann's life and work.
Joan M. Gartland, Detroit P.L.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ St Martins Pr; First Edition (January 1, 1996)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 365 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312140428
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312140427
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.65 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 1.25 x 9.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,327,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #19,525 in European History (Books)
- #46,485 in United States History (Books)

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3.9 19 ratings

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3.9 out of 5

19 global ratings

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V. Czyz

Dispelling Popular Misconceptions

Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2017

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This is an excellent book. It is not, as some of the detractors claim, unduly biased against Schliemann; Traill often praises Schleimann ... for his ingenuity, drive, and business sense, among other things. But at the same time he dispels the popular and self-serving myths surrounding Schliemann. He also does not state his opinions as though they are facts; he suggests X or Y is highly probable or perhaps rather unlikely. He provides an abundance of detail from multiple sources--letters, diary entries, eye-witness accounts, etc--and his writing is both clear and well-worded. As far as I can tell, the definitive biography of Schliemann.

13 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A very fine book

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2019

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A very fine book. Not a total hatchet job, very insightful to his means, character, and motive.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Well written and interesting story. Very detailed, sometimes a bit too...

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2019

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As an educator I want to know more about archaeology in the early days

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E. M. R. Storrs

Meticulous in detail - a fantastic treasure trove of information about the alleged father of ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2015

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Meticulous in detail - a fantastic treasure trove of information about the alleged father of modern archaeology and his hunts for treasure and renown.

One person found this helpful

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Cormac Fintan Mc Conaghy

Incredible bias

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2000

Rarely have I had the misfortune of coming across such an unmitagated biased piece of "scholarly" writing. The book is no doubt scholarly in Traill's coverage of Schliemann's letters and diaries, unfortunately the author seeks only those passages which he can twist to suit his own often stupifying arguments. My advice is to only read this book if you want the view of an anti-Schliemann extremist, but to instead read Heinrich Schliemann's own publications and an assessment of his contribution from a trained archaeologist instead of a historian who cannot suitably comprehend (or in this instance decides to ignore) his contribution to the development of excavation and post-excavation analysis such as the pathological study of skeletal remains. Schliemann was far from perfect but neither were his contemporaries, nor did he ever claim to be a "scholar" although he aspired to reach scholarly status. It appears that certain sections of the academic community continue to attack this upstart amateur in the same way as some historians of the time did. But those in the archaeology community are aware of Schliemann's contribution and would rightfully produce a much more balanced assessment than given by Traill, which lets face it would not be difficult.

21 people found this helpful

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Mary Nears

Oh, the horror!

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2005

This book is easy to put down and never pick up again. Yet, it's disturbing enough that you'll never forget it. Anyone with the slightest interest in archeology will forever cringe when encountering the name "Schliemann." He destroyed so much while searching in all the right places. But hindsight, perhaps, has been unfair to him. Still, this book isn't that interesting of a read.

3 people found this helpful

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m-starr

Amazing book

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2023

I love archaeology and also Homer but didn't know much about Schliemann before reading this book -- so if you're a Troy or Schliemann buff you'll want an opinion from someone other than me.

Otherwise, I'd say this is one of the best books I've ever read. The author has extraordinary command of the subject matter and does an amazing job of leading you on a fascinating journey through Schleimann''s life and "discoveries." He keeps the story in this weirdly neutral area where you can be both bowled over by Schliemann's visionary excavation programs and appalled by his fabrication and deceit. Our simplifying human brains want to judge Schliemann at all the steps along the way: extraordinary contributions to our understanding that the Homerian story of the Trojan war almost surely had some basis in history (good!), vs. chronic misrepresentation, planting, and/or absconding with important finds (bad!). The author uses intrigue and suspense to drive the plot along, which keeps you from doing this calculus until you've heard the whole story. The one thing I would have liked more of was a wrap up as to what Schliemann claimed about which Troy level was most plausibly Homerian vs. what the scientific consensus now is. Traill is clear that Schiemann had it too early, but the right interpretation of the layers is left beyond the scope of the book.

Thanks David Traill for sharing your knowledge so engagingly, this is an amazing book!

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2013

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I love little known characters of history, Reading reality is better than fiction sometimes, well most times! Hope others read more.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer

Very good book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2022

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Informative and interesting. Delivery and the quality of the book alright.

Vesna

Greece and its history

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2018

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The writer is a specialist in history and one should trust every word he writes.
Nevertheless I admire Schliemann and his discoveries he was a man of venture, dreams and I simply like his willingness, his passion for all he discovered.

3 people found this helpful