Troy's Anatolian Roots Unearthed in Rome Exhibition

An exhibition in Rome, "Troy and Rome," opens this week, showcasing over 220 loaned artifacts from Turkey, emphasizing the ancient city's Anatolian origins. The exhibition, running until mid-October, aims to illuminate the identity of the Trojans, who were part of the Anatolian peoples during the Bronze Age.

Reyhan Korpe, deputy head of Troy excavations, describes the site as "the western flank of the east," significant for its role as the "first confrontation between the East and the West." The remains of Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage site, encompass nine distinct settlements dating from 3,000 BC to its abandonment in the sixth century AD.

Among the loaned items is a rare bronze seal inscribed with Luwian hieroglyphics, discovered in 1995, which confirms Luwian as the initial language spoken there. Though not a Hittite city, Troy was part of the Hittite empire, known then as Wilusa. The exhibition also includes weapons mentioned in Homer's Iliad, dating from around 1,200 BC.

The 2004 film "Troy," starring Brad Pitt, significantly spurred renewed interest in the ancient city, leading to increased tourism, although researchers note that major discoveries occurred without direct film production involvement. A 12-tonne replica of the Trojan Horse remains a prominent landmark in Canakkale, Turkey.