Archaeologists have resumed excavations at the ancient city of Troy in modern-day Turkey, hoping to uncover new evidence tied to the legendary Trojan War. The site, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, boasts over 5,000 years of history and remains one of the most extensively studied locations in the ancient world.
This year’s excavation is part of the ongoing “Legacy for the Future Project,” and is supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Bronze Age layer may hold signs of war
Led by archaeologist and academic Rustem Aslan, the 2025 campaign focuses on layers from the Late Bronze Age, specifically those associated with the city’s destruction around 1200 B.C., often linked to the tale of the Trojan War. The team aims to expand on previous discoveries and investigate areas between the agora, palace, and city walls.
📍 Troya Savaşı’nın izinde kazılar sürüyor: 3,500 yıllık sapan taşları bulundu.
UNESCO Dünya Mirası Listesi'nde yer alan Troya Antik Kenti'nde bu yılki kazılar, Son Tunç Çağı'na ve meşhur Troya Savaşı'nın izlerine odaklandı. Kazı Başkanı Prof. Dr. Rüstem Aslan, "Bu seneki ana… pic.twitter.com/SK0FYWsEd8
— arkeolojihaber ® (@arkeolojihaber) July 8, 2025
Early in the season, researchers uncovered a cache of sling stones dating back 3,500 years. Found near the palace from Troy’s sixth phase, the stones—made of clay and river rock—may offer insight into how the city was defended and attacked during the Bronze Age. Their concentration near a major structure suggests the area was a focal point of conflict.
Past digs uncovered weapons and fire damage
In past seasons, teams discovered Late Bronze Age arrowheads and other weapons near the same palace and outer walls. Such findings support the theory that this area was directly involved in violent events that may correspond to the war described in Homer’s epics.
Exciting Discoveries at the Ancient City of Troy: 3,500-Year-Old Arrowhead and Knucklebone Unearthed
In the ancient city of Troy, located within the boundaries of Tevfikiye village in Çanakkale, archaeologists have made a thrilling discovery. Excavations have revealed a… pic.twitter.com/NzELLl2eUv
— History Content (@HistContent) September 6, 2024
Uncovering direct evidence of war, however, remains a difficult task. Earlier excavations led by Carl Blegen in the 1930s and Manfred Osman Korfmann in the 1980s revealed a burnt layer filled with skeletons, weapons, and destruction debris. That layer, associated with Troy’s sixth and seventh phases, has long been seen as a potential marker of the city’s fall.
More recently, researchers have detected signs of a second destruction layer, and this year’s efforts aim to confirm its extent. Aslan explained that the team is looking for indicators such as charred remains, embedded weapons, and hurriedly buried skeletons—hallmarks of sudden conflict.
Troy’s story is rooted in Greek archaeology and myth
Archaeological interest in Troy began in 1863 with Frank Calvert and gained momentum under Heinrich Schliemann in 1871. Later work by Wilhelm Dörpfeld and Carl Blegen helped define the city’s many historical layers, from ancient myth to the Eastern Roman era.
Troy was a city whose inhabitants—often called Trojans—maintained close cultural and commercial ties with Mycenaean Greeks, sharing elements of language, religious practice, and material culture. The Late Bronze Age layers (notably Troy VI and VII) correspond to the era traditionally associated with Homer’s Iliad, in which Agamemnon’s Mycenaean forces laid siege to the city in the legendary Trojan War.
The Iliad is a Greek epic or long poetic narrative detailing a battle or voyage. The Iliad recounts the Trojan War, a war fought between the Trojans and the Greeks. The battle was so important that even the Greek gods played a role in the battle.
© Hellenic Heroes 🇬🇷
Greek… pic.twitter.com/DyMiEPBjqx— ArchaeoHistories (@histories_arch) October 22, 2023
While the exact events remain uncertain, the stories of Achilles, Odysseus, and Helen have shaped Greek cultural memory for millennia. Much of the site’s early exploration, including Schliemann’s, was guided by Greek texts and traditions.
Search for the history behind the legend continues
According to myth, the Trojan War began after Paris of Troy took Helen, the wife of Sparta’s king, Menelaus. Two major battles are believed to have taken place outside the city’s walls as the Greeks attempted to bring her back. After ten years of fighting, the Greeks used a wooden horse to infiltrate the city—a clever strategy that sealed Troy’s fate.
While the legend endures, archaeologists continue searching for physical traces of the events that may have inspired one of ancient Greece’s most iconic stories.
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