About Wilhelm Döerpfeld
Wilhelm Dörpfeld was a German architect and archaeologist, a pioneer of stratigraphic excavation and precise graphical documentation of archaeological projects.
In 1873, Dörpfeld enrolled in architectural studies in Berlin, into the famous Academy of Architecture (Bauakademie). At the same time, he started to work for the Bergisch-Maerki industrial company. During holiday breaks, Dörpfeld worked for the Rheine railway company, drawing sketches of buildings and different architectural objects. Döerpfeld graduated with honours in 1876.
In 1877, Döerpfeld became an assistant at the excavations of Ancient Olympia, Greece, conducted under Richard Bohn, Friedrich Adler, and Ernst Curtius. He later became the technical manager of the project. The group uncovered, among other artifacts, an intact statue of Hermes by Praxiteles. The excavations revived the memory of the ancient Olympic Games and contributed toward the establishment of the modern Olympic Games, in 1896.
In 1882, Dörpfeld joined Schliemann, who was then excavating Troy. Working with Schliemann had a big influence on him since Schliemann was a strong supporter of Homer and his epics.
The two eventually became good friends and continued their collaboration on other projects as well. They excavated in Tiryns, from 1884 to 1885, and at Troy again from 1888 to 1890. Dörpfeld also excavated at the Acropolis of Athens from 1885 to 1890, where he unearthed the Hekatompedon temple (the pre-Classical Parthenon). He continued excavations at Pergamon (1900–1913, with Alexander Conze) and in 1931 in the Agora of Athens.
In 1886, Dörpfeld founded the German School of Athens, which was later named after him, as the Dörpfeld Gymnasium. From 1887 to 1912, he was the director of the German Archaeological Institute at Athens. He published, in 1896, Das griechische Theater, the first study of Greek theatre construction.
After Schliemann’s death in 1890, his widow hired Dörpfeld to continue from where Schliemann had stopped in his excavations of Troy. Dörpfeld found nine separate cities, one atop the other, at the Hisarlik site. He argued that the sixth was the legendary Troy because it was larger than the first five cities and had high limestone walls, surrounding the city. Dörpfeld also found evidence for his claims in Mycenaean pottery, which he found in the same strata. Modern archaeologists, however, think that Homer wrote about Troy VII instead.
Dörpfeld spent a lot of time and energy trying to prove that Homer’s epics were based on historical facts and this research led him to Lefkada. He compared several passages from the Odyssey to the actual geographical location of Lefkada, and he concluded that it must be the “Homeric Ithaca”. His excavation started in early 1900s….
At Nidri “Steno”* he found 33 royal tombs of the early Bronze age. They where not coming from the era he was searching for but they are the oldest in Greece found so far, a great archaeological finding. He would have done more but unfortunately WW2 started…
He has done a very important archaeological work for Greece, but especially Lefkada. His love and passion for the history of the place and the people is something that needs to be remembered. He is buried*, by his demand, at Ag. Kiriaki (grey line) site where he used to live.
The Theory
“Alt Ithaka” is a book written by W. Doerpfeld in German. The book contains his whole theory with historical and geographical facts, findings etc., through all the year of his research and excavations here in Lefkada, that proves Lefkada is the “Homeric Ithaca”.
At his theory he was especially convinced by the passage:
I dwell in shining Ithaca. There is a mountain there, high Neriton, covered in forests. Many islands
lie around it, very close to each other,
Doulichion, Same, and wooded Zacynthos—
but low-lying Ithaca is farthest out to sea,
towards the sunset, and the others are apart, towards the dawn and sun.
It is rough, but it raises good men.”
Homer, Odyssey 9.1:
In ancient greek:
Νεαιτάω δ’ Ἰθάκην εὐδείελον· ἐν δ’ ὄρος αὐτῇ,
Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον, ἀριπρεπές · ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆσοι
πολλαί ναιετάουσι μάλα σχεδὸν ἀλλήλῃσι,
Δουλίχιόν τε Σάμη τε καὶ ὑλήεσσα Ζάκυνθος.
Αὐτή δὲ χθαμαλὴ πανυπερτάτη εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται
πρὸς ζόφον, αἱ δὲ τ’ ἂνευθε πρὸς ἠῶ τ’ ἠέλιόν τε.
Everything is written in detail and translated word by word from ancient Greek to prove the right location of the island. He also compares his theory to other theories of his time.
In general:
Lefkada isn’t still named Ithaca cause after Dorians conquered the island its citizens moved to “Same” and renamed it to “Ithaca”.
Lefkada was always a “weird” island(like “Homeric Ithaca”) to the ancient Greeks and in “Odyssey” it is descripted as is today. Access from the land without having to cross the sea etc. Find the proof in rhapsodies: 1 (A) line 170, 14 (ξ) line 190, 16 (π) line 59 & 224.
Odysseus Kingdom was consisted of 4 islands: Ithaca(Lefkada), Same(Ithaca), Doulichion(Kefalonia) and Zakynthos with the “base” of the kingdom in “Ithaca”.
The geographical descriptions from “Homer’s Odyssey” that fit to Lefkada’s geography:
- “Niriton” mountain range – “Elati” mountaintop.
- “Νήϊον” mountain today’s “Skaroi”.
- Syvota bay was “Forkyno’s harbor”.
- Evmaio’s cave in “Evgiro”.
- “Skidi” bay In Evgiro (where Tilemacho’s ship arrived).
- “Reithron” harbor is at Nidri – Vlycho bay.
- “Reithron” (the estuary of today’s “Dimosari” river) in the Nidri Bay.
- Ithaca town and palace was at Nidri plain.
- “Kaliroos” water source at Palaiokatouna and “Melanydros” at “Niochori” village.
- “Ermeos” hill today’s “Amali”.
- Laerti’s farm at “Passa” Perigiali.
- “Nirikos” town (Palairos) at “Plagia” peninsula.
- Taphos islands today’s Kalamos & Kastos.
- Homeric “Asteris” is the Arkoudi island.
Also on his return from Corfu (Phaeacians kingdom “Scheria”) travel course fits Lefkada’s position.