Troy: myth and reality at the British Museum

Achilles and Hector face each other in combat. Achilles lunges forward while Hector falls back, his wounded chest exposed. Image source: British Museum

Troy: myth and reality at the British Museum The British Museum presents ‘The BP exhibition Troy: myth and reality’, the first major Troy exhibition in the UK. 21 November 2019 – 8 March 2020.]]>

Source: British Museum

The exhibition reveals the lasting legacy of stories from the Trojan War, first told by early poets such as Homer and Virgil and retold and reinterpreted right up to the present day. The show highlights works of art inspired by the tales of war, love and loss that are wrapped up in the Trojan cycle of myths and passed down through generations.

Following in the footsteps of the archaeologists and adventurers who sought to prove the reality of ancient Troy, this exhibition showcases the discoveries made by Heinrich Schliemann in Turkey in the 1870s, which changed the perception of this epic tale forever. From the Trojan horse to Troilus and Cressida, and Hollywood films and contemporary art, this exhibition tells the stories of Troy that have fascinated and inspired people for more than 3,000 years.

This is the first major Troy exhibition in the UK, and the first to feature finds from Schliemann’s excavations at the site of Troy, since they were displayed in London in the 1870s. The revelation that Troy was a real place and that there may be truth behind the legend continues to be a source of fascination and debate. Schliemann’s rediscovery of Troy and his work at the site between 1870 and 1890 made him famous the world over. A large number of his original finds, including pottery and silver vessels, bronze weapons and stone sculptures, have been generously loaned by the Berlin Museums to the UK for the first time in nearly 150 years.

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