Tomb of the ‘Last Trojans’ Found in Troy

Late last month, excavations commenced at the 5,500-year-old Troy Archaeological Site in Tevfikiye village to uncover the damage and destruction the Trojan War left in its wake. Now, archaeologists have made an exciting discovery – four human skeletons, who’ve been dubbed the “Last Trojans” – a glimpse into the lives of the final residents of this ancient city.

Led by Professor Rustem Aslan, the excavation team uncovered a remarkable scene: one skeleton belonged to a mother, with her baby buried right beside her, as if straight out of a historical drama! Additionally, two male skeletons arranged symmetrically have also been located, upon which surface work is slated to begin shortly.

In excavations at the ancient city of Troy, located near Tevfikiye village in Canakkale, four human skeletons identified as the “Last Trojans” have been uncovered. This discovery sheds light on the lives of the final inhabitants of the ancient city.

— TurkishArchaeoNews (@turarchaeonews) August 16, 2024

Material Remains of a Historical Battle

The latest discoveries are currently being studied by Associate Professor Esin Akgul Kalkan and her team from the Department of Forensic Medicine at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. They are meticulously analyzing the skeletons to determine their health, causes of death, and ages, reports Turkiye Today. Kalkan noted that the state of preservation plays a crucial role in how much information can be extracted from these ancient remains.

These excavations at Troy have been going strong for 150 years and are part of a larger research effort that has earned the site a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Over the years, the work has unearthed a treasure trove of significant findings from various periods of Troy’s long history.

Professor Aslan detailed the historical layers and sanctity of Troy, stating:

“The initial settlement of Troy dates back to around 3,000 BC. Then come Troy 1, 2, and 3 layers. Particularly, the treasures discovered by Schliemann are from Troy 2 and 3. Homer’s Troy is associated with Troy 6 and 7. The sanctity of this period extends to the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In later periods, Troy was not rebuilt after major earthquakes and continued to exist until the Byzantine era.”

One particularly intriguing aspect of this find is the discovery of a child’s skeleton alongside that of the woman. This raises several questions: Is there a familial connection between them? Did they pass away at the same time?

The Trojan War: One of Ancient Mythology’s Great Conflicts

The Trojan War is one of the most famous conflicts in ancient mythology, primarily recounted in Greek literature, notably in Homer’s epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The war is said to have taken place in the 12th or 13th century BC, though its historicity is still debated among scholars.

According to legend, the war began when Paris, a prince of Troy, abducted Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the king of Sparta. This act of betrayal triggered a massive military expedition by the Greeks, who launched a thousand ships to lay siege to Troy in a bid to retrieve Helen and restore honor, reports Dartmouth.

The war, which lasted for ten long years, is depicted as a clash not just of armies but of heroes and gods, with divine beings frequently intervening in human affairs. Key figures in the conflict included Achilles, the mightiest of the Greek warriors, whose rage and eventual death are central to the Iliad, and Hector, Troy’s noble defender.

The war is filled with tales of bravery, tragedy, and the whims of fate, culminating in the iconic use of the Trojan Horse. The Greeks, unable to breach Troy’s walls by conventional means, resorted to cunning. They built a large wooden horse, hid a select group of soldiers inside, and pretended to retreat. The Trojans, believing the horse to be a peace offering, brought it into their city. At night, the Greek soldiers emerged, opened the city gates, and allowed the Greek army to enter and destroy Troy from within.

The aftermath of the Trojan War is as legendary as the war itself. The city of Troy was left in ruins, and its fall marked the end of a great civilization. The surviving Trojan warriors and civilians faced enslavement or death, while the victorious Greeks suffered their own series of misfortunes.

The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus’ perilous journey home, which took ten years due to the wrath of the gods, while other Greek heroes met tragic fates upon their return. The Trojan War remains a powerful symbol of human folly, the destructive power of desire, and the inevitable consequences of hubris.

Top image: Situated in Tevfikiye village, Çanakkale, the Troy site was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1998.               Source: Bulent/Adobe Stock

By Sahir Pandey