Could you please help us?
The Iliad and Odyssee give a description of a culture (~1200 BC), landscape and climate that does not well fit with the Western part of Turkey. The culture does not fit because the location where Schliemann located Troy was on the border of the Hittite empire, which in those days was in the zenith of its power.
The landscape does not fit, because the Western part of Turkey is relatively dry while many rivers are mentioned in the Iliad and Odyssee, and also the descriptions of snow and rain do not really fit with Troy in Turkey.
Iman Wilkens put all this, and much more, in his book 'Where Troy Once Stood', Rider, London, 1990. His conclusion is that the most likely location for Troy is in the Gog Magog Hills, close to present day Cambridge.
There are some specific aspects mentioned in Homer's work which may help to ascertain whether indeed this is the right location. Your help will be appreciated in getting the answers to these questions.
Homer states that close to Troy, between Troy and the river Skamander (now called the Cam), there were a hot and a cold spring.
It is known that England in the past (and even presently) knew vulcanic activity. In Bath there are still hot springs. Is there geological evidence that about 3000 years ago there was vulcanic activity in the Gog Magog hills and that there could have been a hot spring? Information, preferably with scientific evidence or references will highly be appreciated.
A gold treasure has been found in Hunstanton (near King's Lynn). This treasure now is in the British museum; its origin is believed to be Celtic, and the treasure has been dated ~ 400 BC. The Troyan war, in 'Where Troy Once Stood' has been identified as the Continental / 'English' Celtic war. Homer describes how the Aechaean armies plundered the area around Troy. (Would the Hittites have allowed this?). If all this took place in England (~1200 BC) one could imagine that locals might have hidden their treasures, and that some were only found back more than 3000 years later. However, the Hunstanton treasure has been dated ~ 400 BC. The questions are:
1. Is this date certain?
2. How does one date gold and gold items?
3. Is there a possibility that this treasure in fact is about 800 years older?
Any information is highly welcome
Priam had a 50 room palace which was a stone structure. Probably this palace was located at the Gog Magog hills. The question is, were the Chalk Pit close to the springs near Cherry Hinton (NW of the Gog Magog hills) and / or the Limepit Hill (North / NorthEast) of the Wandlebury ring already in use as quarries during the late Bronze age?
Any information is highly welcome
Bert Huizing responds: I' have read Wilkens' book and I'm not convinced. There has been an earlier monograph on this subject, I can't remember by whom.
You've probably read Ernst Gideon "Homerus, zanger der Kelten" (1973) or its second printing titled "Troje lag in Engeland" (1991). The author stresses Celtic characteristics in the religious beliefs of the actors in Homeros' drama, the training and initiation rites of Druids. Since you have traveled the Mediterranean area, sensing Odysseus' presence as you say, you could recapitulate Odysseus' voyage over the Atlantic, navigating by the cues hidden in the Odyssee.