Continuing investigations to the archaeology and history of Troy in the Late Bronze Age and Classical Antiquity, especially to the end of the settlement phases Troy VI, VII a and VII b, to the date and circumstances of the foundation of Greek Troy (= Ilion), the so-called Troy VIII, and to its growth, in addition to the role of the Trojan myth in the form of the Greek, Hellenistic and Roman town and the surrounding region, that means to the creation of an eminent mythical or heroic space. The studies during his activities in “Topoi” concentrate on enlarging the arguments for the program described just now: The foundation of Ilion by Greeks since 1000 B.C., the development of the legend of the Trojan War by the early Greek poets, the interpretation and presentation of ancient looking remains and monuments as evidence for the myth, then in the Hellenistic and Roman epochs the building of memorial buildings, which integrated the alleged remains and monuments of the myth, and the enlargements and modernized appearences of Ilion; by all that the Hellenistic and Roman periods created new identities. The importance of Ilion in the posthomeric-archaic epoch, finally the history of the search for Troy and of the excavations and the role of Troy and the Trojan myth in Turkish history and ideology.

An important argument for the early foundation of Greek Troy as expressed above ist the laying out of a Greek cemetery: Further arguments verify that this necropolis was created immediately after the end of the latest Bronze Age settlement, Troy VII b, that is in the 10/9th century.

In Antiquity people thought, that the existence of the impressive Late Bronze Age fortification wall, protecting still Troy VIII, gave strong evidence for the historicity of the Trojan myth. This wall was renewed in its old style or with old stones by the Greek inhabitants of Ilion again and again. The northern part of the wall even served as element of the Hellenistic fortification wall of the refounded, now enlarged town; and also at that time it was regarded als testimony of the alleged historicity of theTrojan War. Contrary to recent interpretations there are good new arguments to show that this part of the wall was found by H. Schliemann and C. W. Blegen, that the ancient sources are wrong in reporting its destruction about 600 B.C. and that it was destroyed only in 85 B.C. The study of the painted archaic pottery tells much about the cultural situation in posthomeric-archaic Ilion, namely that the originality at least in one, but in an important field of the material civilization, declined since 650/600 B.C. while Ilions reputation as the most famous mythical or heroic space in the Ancient World increased.

Turkish sources and announcements of the late excavator and Turkish freeman M. Korfmann reveal that the findspot “Hisarlık” and the Trojan legend plays an eminent role in Turkish history and ideology.

Research to the topic “Troy” in the Archäologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut in Berlin und the Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte in Berlin:

Continuing investigations to the archaeology and history of Troy in the Late Bronze Age and Classical Antiquity, particularly to the end of the settlement phases Troy VI, VII a and VII b, to the date and circumstances of the foundation of Greek Troy (= Ilion), the so-called Troy VIII, and to its growth, in addition to the role of the Trojan myth in the form of the Greek, Hellenistic and Roman town and the surrounding region, that means to the creation of an eminent mythical or heroic space. The studies during his activities in “Topoi” concentrate on enlarging the arguments for the program described just now: The foundation of Ilion by Greeks since 1000 B.C., the development of the legend of the Trojan War by the early Greek poets, the interpretation and presentation of ancient looking remains and monuments as evidence for the myth, then in the Hellenistic and Roman epochs the erection of memorial buildings, which integrated the alleged remains and monuments of the myth, and the enlargements and modernized appearences of Ilion; by all that  the Hellenistic and Roman periods created new identities. Then the importance of Ilion in the posthomeric-archaic epoch, finally the history of the search for Troy and of the excavations on the findspot “Hisarlık” and the role of Troy and the Trojan myth in Turkish history and ideology.