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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No. 291. An Inscribed Trojan Whorl (8 m.).

APPENDIX.

ON THE INSCRIPTIONS FOUND AT HISSARLIK.
By The Editor.

As soon as Dr. Schliemann's wonderful discoveries at
Hissarlik were made known, one of the most important
questions that arose in the mind of all scholars was:—
Has he found any Inscriptions, to throw the certain light
of written testimony on the language and ethnic affinities,
the history and social condition, the religion, science, and
literature, of the old inhabitants of the hill, whose records
form as yet no part of ancient history ?

Dr. Schliemann's private communications during the
progress of his work had called forth the efforts of eminent
Orientalists — such as Martin Haug, Emile Burnouf, and
Max Miiller—to attempt the discovery of true writing
among the vast variety of strange and novel patterns
impressed upon the terra-cotta whorls, balls, seals, vases,
and other objects in his collection; for some of these
bore a likeness to written characters which could hardly
be deceptive.* It mattered not for this enquiry, by
what name the habitations, whose successive strata were

* Dr. Schliemann's work records several interesting examples of his
first impressions on this point, and he appears more often to have mis-
taken written characters for mere symbols or ornaments than the other
way.