Heinrich Schliemann began excavations at Hisarlik mound in northwest Turkey (Anatolia), identifying it as the site of Homer's Troy from the Iliad. Layers revealed multiple cities destroyed and rebuilt, confirming Bronze Age occupation. The dig in the Troad region uncovered fortifications and artifacts, validating literary traditions long thought mythical. This sparked modern archaeology of Homeric sites.

Schliemann's finds revitalized interest in Homeric epics, inspiring Victorian and modern poets to engage directly with archaeological context in retellings of the Trojan War. Poets like Tennyson and later 20th-century writers drew on the materiality for vivid imagery. It bridged oral poetry traditions with empirical history, enriching literary classics education.