The Quest: John Morritt, His Travels to Troy, 1794-1796

For many years I had wanted to write something about Troy and the Classical Age; ever since my earlier archaological ‘digs’ and flint knapping and an early essay on Troy, quite unplanned, that had my strict Headmaster quite aghast (and even myself). I expect it was something hidden within my psyche which knows a former life, I hesitate to go t here. Notwithstanding that, this book describes not just the story of ‘Troy’ but theories of whether it did exist, with recent archaeological ‘finds’. The work done at Troy by Schliemann is portrayed, also the work of Dorpfeld, Blegen and more recently the modern methods of the recently deceased Professor Manfred Korfmann and the theories of Joachim Latacz are explored, with emphasis on the University of Tuebingen TROIA Project, which is consistently attracting international attention. Not only is Troy portrayed, but the travels of John Morritt to locate the site of Troy. The interesting way Morritt circumnavigated the Napoleonic armies makes one wonder if he was on a clandestine mission to record topography, as he later makes un-historical observations of military movements in an area the French navy were to invade to reach Egypt, etc. If the reader receives any benefit from this book, I will consider that I have done my part. If not, I recomend it wholeheartedly as a sure-fire cure for insomnia. Robert D. Morritt