For centuries, the city of Troy—made famous by Homer’s 'Iliad'—was considered a myth. In 1871, German amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann began excavating a mound at Hisarlik in modern-day Turkey, following clues in the ancient texts. He discovered a series of ancient cities built on top of one another, finding a trove of gold jewelry he dubbed 'Priam’s Treasure.' While Schliemann’s aggressive excavation techniques were criticized for destroying historical layers, his discovery proved that the Trojan War likely had a basis in historical reality. This event bridged the gap between legend and history and sparked a new era of 'scientific' archaeology dedicated to verifying ancient accounts through physical evidence.