Heinrich Schliemann remains one of the most influential—and controversial—figures in the history of archaeology. A self-taught archaeologist and passionate reader of Homer, he believed that the Iliad and the Odyssey preserved the memory of a real historical world.
Driven by this conviction, he excavated sites deeply rooted in Greek myth and epic tradition: Troy, Mycenae, Tiryns and Orchomenos. His goal was to uncover the material remains of Agamemnon, Priam and the heroes of the Trojan War. Although his discoveries did not prove the existence of these legendary figures, they revealed something equally important: the flourishing civilizations of the Aegean Bronze Age, with their powerful elites, monumental architecture and far-reaching connections with the eastern Mediterranean.
In 1876, Schliemann began excavating Mycenae, the legendary seat of King Agamemnon and the House of Atreus.
Guided by the description of the 2nd-century AD traveller Pausanias, he searched for the royal tombs within the citadel walls. His excavations led to the discovery of Grave Circle A, a remarkable group of shaft graves containing extraordinary treasures: gold funerary masks, diadems, jewellery, drinking vessels and finely crafted weapons.
Convinced that he had uncovered the graves of Agamemnon and his companions, Schliemann announced one of archaeology's most famous discoveries. Today, however, archaeologists know that these burials date mainly to the 16th century BC—several centuries earlier than the traditionally accepted date of the Trojan War. Nevertheless, they revealed the existence of an exceptionally wealthy Mycenaean elite during the early Late Bronze Age.
Among the most remarkable finds was a magnificent gold diadem recovered from Shaft Grave III, often referred to as the "Women's Grave."
The grave contained the burials of three women and two infants, all accompanied by an extraordinary quantity of gold ornaments and decorative gold sheets. The infants themselves had been covered with cut gold foil, emphasizing the exceptional status of those interred.
Measuring approximately 62.5 × 27 cm, the diadem was crafted from thin sheets of gold and decorated with repoussé rosettes and applied gold elements. Its delicate construction suggests that it was intended primarily as a ceremonial or funerary ornament rather than an object of everyday use.
For Schliemann, such lavish funerary wealth seemed to confirm Homer's description of Mycenae as the "rich in gold" kingdom. Today, the diadem is understood as powerful evidence of how Mycenaean elites used precious materials and elaborate burial rituals to express social status and political authority.
Schliemann excavated Tiryns between 1884 and 1885 in collaboration with the German archaeologist Wilhelm Dörpfeld. Known since antiquity for its massive Cyclopean fortification walls, Tiryns occupied an important place in Greek myth and was associated with heroes such as Heracles.
The excavations uncovered the Mycenaean palace complex, including its central megaron, courtyards, gateways and surrounding rooms, together with wall paintings, pottery and numerous small finds.
Unlike Mycenae, where royal burials dominated the discoveries, Tiryns revealed the architectural heart of a major Mycenaean administrative centre.
Among the discoveries is a bronze figurine of the Syro-Palestinian god Reshef.
Standing only 9 cm high, the figurine was discovered during Schliemann's excavations of the citadel. Projections on its feet indicate that it was originally mounted on a base.
Although not directly connected with Homeric tradition, the figurine demonstrates that Mycenaean Tiryns maintained close contacts with the eastern Mediterranean. Rather than depicting an isolated heroic world, the archaeological evidence reveals a society engaged in extensive networks of trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange.
Schliemann carried out excavations at Orchomenos in Boeotia in 1880–1881 and again in 1886. In Greek mythology, Orchomenos was the city of the legendary Minyans and home to the monumental tholos tomb traditionally known as the Treasury of Minyas.
His excavations yielded important Middle Bronze Age pottery, providing valuable evidence for societies that flourished before the rise of the Mycenaean palaces.
One of the characteristic finds is a two-handled grey Minyan cup.
Dating to the Middle Bronze Age, the vessel features an elevated foot, two vertical handles and a broad rim. Its carefully burnished grey surface is characteristic of Minyan pottery, renowned for its refined manufacture and metallic appearance.
The cup illustrates the technological sophistication and aesthetic preferences of Middle Helladic communities, centuries before the emergence of the great Mycenaean kingdoms.
Another significant discovery is a Vapheio-type pottery cup.
Wheel-made and equipped with a single vertical handle, the vessel resembles prestigious metal cups known from Mycenaean contexts. It demonstrates how ceramic craftsmen adopted forms inspired by luxury objects made of precious materials.
Also recovered from Orchomenos is the foot of a Minyan kylix.
Although fragmentary, the object displays fine craftsmanship, with a ring-shaped base and five raised horizontal grooves. Finds such as this allow archaeologists to reconstruct ceramic production, technological development and everyday life during the Middle Bronze Age.
Schliemann's archaeological journey began at Troy, and his discoveries profoundly influenced the study of Bronze Age archaeology throughout the Aegean.
A bronze dagger from Skoteini Cave, although not excavated by Schliemann himself, has been compared with examples from Troy IIg and is discussed with reference to his landmark publication Ilios.
Dating to the Early Bronze Age, the dagger features a long leaf-shaped blade with a pronounced central rib. Its comparison with Trojan material illustrates how Schliemann's excavations became an essential reference point for the classification and interpretation of prehistoric artefacts across the Aegean.
Schliemann began his work searching for Agamemnon, Priam and the heroes of Homeric epic. Many of his interpretations are no longer accepted, and his excavation methods have been widely criticised.
Yet his discoveries transformed archaeology. Instead of uncovering the heroes themselves, he revealed the existence of complex Bronze Age societies whose wealth, political power and cultural achievements provided the historical background from which the Homeric epics eventually emerged.
The gold diadem from Mycenae, the bronze figurine of Reshef from Tiryns, the Minyan pottery from Orchomenos and the comparisons with Troy together illustrate this remarkable transition—from the romantic search for legendary heroes to the scientific study of the Bronze Age civilizations of the Aegean.
Below you can explore a selection of Mycenaean artefacts from the Mycenaean centres discussed in this article. Although not all of them were discovered during Heinrich Schliemann's excavations, together they provide a broader picture of the world he sought to uncover.
The exhibition contains items from the following institutions:
