S. N. C. Lieu, D. Montserrat: From Constantine to Julian: Pagan and Byzantine Views. A Source History. Pp. xxi + 285. London: Routledge, 1996. £140 (Paper, £13.99). ISBN: 0-415-09335-X (0-415-09336-8 pbk).

Abstract

In 1993 Schliemann's fabulous collection of Trojan antiquities, which had been spirited out of Germany in 1945, finally resurfaced in Russia. The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg has 414 items, mainly bronzes and pottery, but the 259 objects in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow constitute the cream of the collection. In 1996 the 'Gold of Troy' was put on display in the Pushkin, hence this splendid catalogue. Schliemann found a number of 'treasures' in the course of his excavations at Troy, of which the most famous and contentious is 'Priam's Treasure', later classified by Schmidt as treasure A. Also included in the catalogue are items from treasures B, D-F, H, J-L, N, O, and R. In her introduction, A. glosses over the more recent history of the treasures, but the sequence of events has been pieced together by Easton, the consultant editor for this edition of the catalogue, in Anatolian Studies 44 (1994), 221-43. There is a brief biography of Schliemann, followed by an assessment of his role in Trojan archaeology by Tolstikov. This focuses on the ancient controversy about the location of Troy, which was resolved when Calvert persuaded Schliemann that he should excavate at Hisarlik, and the more recent argument about the authenticity of the treasures. While the precise character of the treasures remains unclear, the doubts expressed by Traill about their integrity seem unfounded. Each of the treasures is catalogued separately. There is a concise description of every object, comments on their condition, a detailed bibliography, and a list of comparanda. Excellent colour illustrations underline the technical expertise of the craftsmen. Treister then provides an overview of the different types of artefact and discusses their use. It would appear that most of the treasures were from Troy II contexts and the comparanda cited confirm their Early Bronze Age date. Some of the treasures may have been jewellers' hoards, which would imply local production, and Troy is consequently seen as one of the main centres of metallurgy in this period. The conclusion that metals were the source of Trojan wealth is certainly supported by this sumptuous display of gold and silver.