Schliemann, Heinrich: Troy and its remains: a narrative of researches and discoveries made on the site of Illium, and in the Trojan Plain (London, 1875)

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CHAPTER V.

Interruptions from Rain — Last works of the season, 1871 —The sup-
posed ruins of Troy reached — Great blocks of stone — Engineering
contrivances — Excavations at the " Village of the Ilians :" no traces
of habitation, and none of hot springs — Results of the excavations
thus far — Review of the objects found at various depths — Structure
of the lowest houses yet reached — Difficulties of the excavations —
The object aimed at — Growth of the Hill of Hissarlik.

On the Hill of Hissarlik, November 24th, 1871.

Since my last report, of the 18th and 21st instant, I have
had three days' work in spite of the continual wet weather;
but unfortunately I find myself now compelled to cease the
excavations for the winter, intending to begin again on the
1st of April, 1872. It is not likely that winter will set in
before the middle of December, and I should gladly have
continued my work till then, in spite of the rain, especially
as I now most firmly believe that I am already among the
ruins of Troy. Since the day before yesterday, I find on
the whole extent of my excavations scarcely anything but
large stones—sometimes hewn, sometimes unhewn—and
some of them are enormous blocks. This morning, for
instance, I worked for three hours with 65 workmen in
removing a single threshold by means of ropes and rollers.
I have been obliged to abandon the two large side-
passages, when already at a depth of 23 feet, and I have
since caused all the rubbish and small stones to be brought
in baskets and wheel-barrows through the large exit-channel,
and thrown down at its end upon the sides of the steep
declivity. This channel—the walls of which have a slope
of 674 degrees—is now, at the present depth of 33 feet,