Archaeological teams have resumed excavations at the ancient city of Troy, located in present-day Turkey, with the goal of uncovering more evidence linked to the mythical Trojan War. The site, which holds over 5,000 years of history, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains one of the most extensively studied ancient locations worldwide.
According to legend, the Trojan War was sparked when Paris of Troy abducted Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. The Greeks then launched two major military campaigns to reclaim her, culminating in the use of a wooden horse to infiltrate Troy’s walls after ten years of conflict.
This year’s excavation is part of the ongoing “Legacy for the Future Project,” backed by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Troy excavations resume, looking for evidence of war
Led by renowned archaeologist Rustem Aslan, this year’s campaign is focused on uncovering remains from the Late Bronze Age, particularly layers that correspond to the city’s destruction around 1200 B.C.—an event traditionally associated with the Trojan War. Aslan and his team are looking to expand on previous discoveries, focusing on areas between the palace, city walls, and agora to uncover more information about this pivotal period in Troy’s history.
Early in the excavation season, researchers uncovered a significant collection of sling stones dating back 3,500 years. These were found near the palace from Troy’s sixth phase, and are made of river rock and clay. The concentration of these stones near a major building structure suggests that this area may have been a focal point of both defense and attack during Troy’s Bronze Age conflicts.
Past excavations have already revealed a variety of weapons, including arrowheads, found near the palace and outer city walls, which further supports the theory that this area played a key role in violent clashes—potentially tied to the war described in Homer’s epic tales.
Although archaeologists have not yet found direct evidence of war, they are hopeful that new discoveries will shed light on the conflict. Previous excavations, such as those led by Carl Blegen in the 1930s and Manfred Osman Korfmann in the 1980s, revealed a burnt layer filled with weapons, skeletons, and debris. This layer, linked to Troy’s sixth and seventh phases, is often cited as evidence of the city’s fall.
More recently, researchers have found signs of a second destruction layer at Troy. This year’s efforts are focused on confirming its extent and identifying new markers of conflict. Aslan and his team are specifically looking for signs such as charred remains, buried weapons, and hastily interred skeletons—evidence of sudden and violent destruction.
Troy: A legendary archaeological site
Archaeological interest in Troy dates back to 1863 when Frank Calvert first identified the site. The excavation efforts gained further attention under Heinrich Schliemann in 1871, followed by important contributions from Wilhelm Dörpfeld and Carl Blegen, who helped to define the city’s various historical layers, from myth to the Eastern Roman period.
The city of Troy was home to the Trojans, a people with close cultural and commercial ties to the Mycenaean Greeks, sharing elements of language, religious practices, and material culture. The Late Bronze Age layers, notably Troy VI and VII, correspond to the time traditionally associated with Homer’s Iliad, where the Greeks, led by Agamemnon, laid siege to the city during the legendary Trojan War.
As excavations at Troy continue, researchers remain hopeful that each dig will uncover more fragments of history, helping to bridge the gap between myth and reality in one of the most famous ancient cities in the world.