The British Museum will open a forthcoming exhibition exploring the mysteries surrounding the lost ancient Greek city of Troy — one of the most widely fabled stories in Western history.
Opening on November 21, “Troy: myth and reality” has been described as “irresistibly dramatic and tragic.”
“Just as it enraptured audiences in the past, it still speaks to us today and it’s easy to see why,” the museum said in an announcement. “It’s a story that has it all – love and loss, courage and passion, violence and vengeance, triumph and tragedy – on a truly epic scale.”
Troy’s legend spans more than 3,000 years and includes the tale of a great city plunging into a 10-year war over the abduction of Helen — the most beautiful woman in the world.
The legend has captivated people for generations and has led pilgrims, explorers and archaeologists to search for the famed conflict’s location — believed to be on the western coast of modern-day Turkey.
With a display of ancient sculptures, vase paintings, contemporary artwork and other items, the British Museum is inviting visitors to explore why the fabled ancient city has inspired so many retellings — from Homer to Shakespeare — and in Hollywood.
This Etruscan tomb-painting shows the Judgement of Paris. At the left, Paris awaits the three goddesses. Aphrodite, last of the three, lifts her dress to show off a flash of leg. On the right, Helen is approached by three women bringing jewelery and perfume. (Photo / British Museum Collection) 
On this Athenian drinking cup Achilles sits withdrawn and angry inside his tent, heavily wrapped in his cloak, as two heralds lead away his prize, the enslaved woman Briseis. (Photo / British Museum Collection) 
William Simpson, Excavations at Hissarlik. Watercolor, 1877. (Photo / British Museum Collection)
The museum also provides archaeological evidence which some historians say confirms Troy’s existence and offers hints at the truth behind the mythical stories.
“But this isn’t a straightforward tale of right and wrong,” the museum’s announcement said. “[The story’s] heroes – and none more so than the great Achilles – are complex, with heroic strength but human weaknesses and in the end it is unclear who, if anyone, really wins.”
“Troy: myth and reality,” will run from November 21, 2019 to March 8, 2020.
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Featured Image / Filippo Albacini (1777–1858), The Wounded Achilles. Marble, 1825. © The Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth. Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees.
