Heinrich Schliemann, a business man turned archaeologist, is universally referred to as the most controversial excavator at Troy, with harsh criticism attacking his methods, theories, morals, and the validity of his artifacts. Obsessed with Greece and Greek history, Schliemann was known to let his fascinations get in the way of his research.

Led to Troy in 1870 by Frank Calvert, the one thought to have originally located the site, Schliemann let his excitement get in the way of his professional responsibilities, irreversibly damaging many of the artifacts and disallowing the accurate dating of others. In his rush to locate the "real" Troy, he dug through Troy VII and continued on until the fire-damaged remains of Troy II were uncovered. Assuming this level to be Homer's Troy, he quickly published his tainted results.

The artifacts used by Schliemann to "prove" that the Troy he had discovered (Troy II) was, in fact, Homer's Troy, (such as the so-called 'Jewels of Helen') were repeatedly suspect of forgery. Further distrust for Schliemann and his findings was reinforced by his false claim that his wife was present at the excavation (when, in fact, she was thousands of miles away).

The criticisms of Heinrich Schliemann are numerous; however, despite his faults and his overzealous approach to his excavations at Troy, he did lead the way and, in some respects, make possible the overwhelming amount of valuable research conducted at Troy since.

"Imagination is a very important qualification for an archaeologist to possess, but in proportion to the strength of this power, a counterpoise of judgment is necessary, otherwise the imagination gets loose and runs riot. Doctor Schliemann is, undoubtedly, an able man; but he must be credited with a vast amount of this sort of unbalanced imagination in order to explain the creation s which he has produced out of the explorations of Hisarlik."…William Borlase (Fraser's review, 1878) 

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