Joseph P Farrell – I cannot help but think of Von Schliemann when I read this story spotted and shared by K.M. In fact, this story is actually a fun story, and yet another warning to those inclined to dismiss ancient epics as not connected to any historical core.

Von Schliemann was the nineteenth century German amateur archaeologist who went entirely against the academic grain of the day, and who thought that Homer’s epics about the Trojan War contained a kernel of truth, in this case, that there was a real city of Troy, and that it was located more or less where Homer said it was. While Von Schliemann had misdated his discovery, the fact remains that he had found the ruins of Troy.

Troy was real, not just a myth.

But, where was the horse?

Well, as the article points out, the Trojan Horse part of the Trojan war does not appear in Homer, but rather, in Virgil’s Aeneid and other Latin authors.

Here’s the story:

Archaeologists Claim They’ve Discovered the Trojan Horse in Turkey

Now note the argument that what has been discovered is the Trojan horse:

Turkish archaeologists claim they have found what they believe are pieces of the Trojan Horse. According to a report by newsit.gr, Turkish archaeologists excavating the site of the historical city of Troy on the hills of Hisarlik have unearthed a large wooden structure. Historians and archaeologists think what they have discovered are remains of the legendary Trojan Horse.

The excavations brought to light dozens of fir planks and beams up to 15 meters (49 feet) long. The remnants were assembled in a strange form, that led the experts to suspect they belong to the Trojan Horse. The wooden structure was inside the walls of the ancient city of Troy. (Boldface emphasis added)

Note only that, the horse has been typically viewed by academics as a metaphor”

Historians suggest that the ancient writer was using the image of the horse as an analogy for a war machine, or even perhaps a natural disaster.

But there’s more argument that the discovery could be the infamous horse that brought down invincible Troy:

The structure found fits the description by Virgil, Augustus and Quintus Smyrnaeus. So archaeologists have started to consider that the discovery is indeed the remains of the subterfuge Greeks used to conquer ancient Troy.

Another discovery that supports the archaeologists’ claims is a damaged bronze plate with the inscription “For their return home, the Greeks dedicate this offering to Athena.” Quintus Smyrnaeus refers to the particular plate in his epic poem “Posthomerica.” The plate was also found on the site.

Additionally, carbon-14 dating has placed the remains in roughly the time period for the war:

“The carbon dating tests and other analysis have all suggested that the wooden pieces and other artifacts date from the 12th or 11th centuries B.C.,” says Professor Morris. “This matches the dates cited for the Trojan War, by many ancient historians like Eratosthenes or Proclus. The assembly of the work also matches the description made by many sources. I don’t want to sound overconfident, but I’m pretty certain that we found the real thing!”

If all this should eventually prove to be the case – and as of this writing, it looks persuasive – then it’s another subtle blow against the idea that all such ancient texts are just a kind of  “epic science fiction and mythology,” and that there might be historical cores to many such texts. But on the other hand, these still have to be handled on a case to case basis.

Somewhere, Von Schliemann is smiling.

See you on the flip side…

SF Source Giza Death Star Aug 2021