Start of the big trip: Çanakkale and Troy

Our Big trip took place over Turkeys winter break in the first two weeks of February. We covered the western most third of the country and saw 14 ancient cities in ten days. We started by visiting Çanakkale on the Marmara south of İstanbul. Çanakkale is very, very important to the Turks because it is the place where Turkey fought to gain independence as a seperate republic. The whole place is spread out cemetaries and memorials and several pre-existing castles.It was an interesting stop because the graves aren't just for the Turks who fought, but those from France, Greece, New Zealand and Australia are equally recognized as well.
The next stop was to the actual city of ancient Troy, the same one from the movie and everything. So basically it was awesome. Because it is so old the city is really just old walls and wells being excaveted. Troy was established long before it was burned and as a result there are many layeres of the city that were deserted and then rebuilt upon several times. There are nine Troys, the second one ebing the most famous and the burned. The oldest city dates back to 3000-2600 BC and the last city ended in the Hellenistic age around the first century BC. Naturally much of the city is still buried but the site is huge and stretches over the mountain side and over looks the sea. Each Troy was heavily merchantile and an important port for ships coming and going from the Black and Aegean Seas. The cities were destroyed by earthquakes, deserted, burned and conquered. In some layers, evidence of a fluorishing city has been found, coins, pottery, weaponry, bodies, etc. In others almost nothing, TroyIV, for example, is thouht to have been destroyed by an earthquake and all that has been found is a single arrowhead. Over time, the coastline has moved further away from the city so while it is in clear view from anywhere in Troy, it is not a convenient distance or as close as it was when the city was inhabited. Troy is also known in Turkey as Truva, Troia and Troas.

The pictures above are of what is believed to be the legendary wall from Troy II and the layers of streets that have been uncovered.