Troy on Display: Scepticism and wonder at Schliemann’s first exhibition

Heinrich Schliemann's 1870s London exhibition of Troy artifacts marked a pivotal moment in the debate over whether Hissarlik, the site he excavated, was indeed Homer's Troy. Abigail Baker's analysis reveals that this exhibition bridged the gap between imagined and material Troy, shaping subsequent discourse on myth and archaeology. Unlike traditional debates focused on stratigraphy or Schliemann's credibility, Baker's work highlights how museums framed these encounters, influencing modern exhibitions like the British Museum's Troy: Myth and Reality (2019–20). Her approach shifts focus from textual arguments to the role of material culture in public perception.

Shapland, A. (2020). Troy on Display: Scepticism and wonder at Schliemann’s first exhibition. Journal of the History of Collections, 32(2), 396–397. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhc/fhaa014