Hisarlik is Turkish for ‘place of fortresses’, and to many the site of ancient Troy

Located in what was known as Anatolia. Hissarlik, is the Turkish name for an ancient city. It is part of Çanakkale, Turkey.
An artificial hill, or tell. It is elevated in layers over an original site.

Some of the earliest literacy work of Europe, the Iliad mentions Ilion and was probably Hisarlik. It is especially mentioned in ancient Greek. Many people work, research and visit the site each year.

Prospering in neolithic Anatolia, the area was ripe for settlement, and these area(s) existed as some of the first urban cities. Originating around 8000bc. Seas were recedeing, leaving a fertile, well watered flat area. Above the farming areas and natural waterways, and the hills were large enough to support building. Both Çatalhöyük, and Hisarlik were well known neolithic settlements in Anatolia.

Homer wrote many poems about Troy, and it was visited by Caesar and Alexander the great. Though, it does not say much about the builders. Historians have argued the trojan war (and others), were sydications of numerous events that stretched back centuries. It is also argued that Troy was not an area at all but district inhabited by trojans. There is more information on other sites online. Significant facts remains, that for over two millennia a thriving civilization existed at Hisarlik.

Archaeological excavation
In the early to mid 19th century, a hill, Hisarlik tell, was identified as a possible site of ancient Troy. Identifiers were famous archaeolgists Frank Calvert, and Heinrich Schliemann.
Since 1871, the site has been under almost-constant archaeological excavation. Many rare artifacts have been found.

Troy 7 is an important archaeological layer
From 1300 to 950bc, a layer of Hisarlik coincides with the collapse of the Bronze Age and is thought to be the site of the Trojan War.

Bibliography: Cline, Eric H. The Trojan War: A Very Short Introduction. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

“Ancient Troy: The City & the Legend”. Live Science. 26 August 2017.

“Kingdoms of Anatolia – Troy / Llium (Wilusa?)”.

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