Heinrich Schliemann: The Man Behind The Masks In Ancient Greece
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The study of the past is the key to understanding the development of man and with that comes a great deal of responsibility. This responsibility entails being respectful of that past and understanding that and also that preserving it, these are utmost priorities. Heinrich Schliemann brought in new discoveries about the past, specifically about majestic ancient Greece. His discoveries controversially shaped what is currently known about ancient Greece. Heinrich Schliemann was an individual who was corrupted by fame and power, which would lead to the destruction and complete disregard of historical items from antiquity. Schliemann’s crusade to achieve self-gratification and fame led to the discovery of artifacts from antiquity, but ultimately…show more content… As an adult, Heinrich Schliemann was, “Known to be a businessman prior to entering the field of archaeology”, according to D.F. Easton from The Classical World. Easton also states that, “Schliemann started a banking operation which he ran in California in 1851” (Easton 1998). He also lived in St. Petersburg during the 1850’s adds in David Turner, who wrote Heinrich Schliemann The Man Behind The Masks (Turner 1990). During this time, “Schliemann made connections with affluent merchants”, says Turner. During his time in the United States Schliemann was a dubious individual. Easton adds, “Schliemann lied to secure his United States Citizenship and divorce in 1868.” Even though Heinrich had been enamored with the Greek world throughout his life. He was only known as an international businessman and had never entered the world of archeology. To understand his motives, one must understand his development as a person. For example, Turner explains that Schliemann was, “A man who rose from rags to riches through sheer willpower, a man who strove for achievement in all he did but was never satisfied with the crude achievement of wealth” (Turner 1990). Schliemann seemed like a man who always was obsessed with the next thing and never seemed satisfied with what he had. This would definitely have an impact through the ways he would discover the various artifacts. After achieving all he could in the world of business he set his eyes on discovering the world of the ancient Greeks. Turner writes that Schliemann had been obsessed with the idea of discovering the world of Homer. During this period of the 1800’s little had been known about the world of Homer writes Turner. It is possible that Schliemann saw this potential opportunity as his chance to leave his mark on history and gain international recognition in the archaeological world. Schliemann first