Heinrich Schliemann excavated historic sites at Troy in Turkey and Mycenae in Greece which were associated with the poems of Homer. His discoveries there were among the most important and well known of the 19th century.
Schliemann was a very wealthy businessman, who travelled extensively and was fluent in over a dozen languages. He sought to prove the historical reality of places mentioned in the works of Homer, which led to excavations at Troy and Mycenae.
Although Schliemann's archaeological excavations were important he attracted criticism — being branded a treasure hunter by some and as fraudulent and deceptive by others.
Schliemann's British publisher
John Murray III was Schliemann's British publisher. Schliemann's books were beautifully bound in designs by Hallam Murray and were extensively illustrated with photographic plates and engravings.
In addition to extensive business papers and letters, the National Library of Scotland acquired in 2008 photographs and plans of his Mycenae excavations.
