This volume is the biography of a pioneer of field archeology, Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890), retelling how Schliemann rose from grocer's apprentice in Germany to wealthy indigo merchant in St. Petersburg to his final re-creation as an archaeologist. Although Schliemann outraged scholars with his boastfulness, penchant for willful ambiguousness in his writings, and brutal methods of excavation, he amazed the world by discovering one of the most important and glorious sites in the history of mankind. The author emphasizes Schliemann's story to track the fate of Priam's Treasure. This cache of gold and other artifacts was discovered and stolen by Schliemann, later hidden by the Nazis, and then stolen and hidden by the Russians. "One of the enduring stories of the last century is the astounding 1873 discovery by the first modern archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann, of the lost gold of Priam, king of ancient Troy. With the biographical skill that drew such praise for her book Bertrand Russell, Caroline Moorehead explores Schliemann's extraordinary life and how he contrived to smuggle the nine thousand gold chains, elaborate silver pictures, gold coins, and other amazing artifacts from his dig in Asia Minor to his government in Berlin." "Schliemann's treasures of Troy, lost when pillaged by the Nazis during World War II, received front-page coverage in 1993 when they were revealed to be residing in Moscow, having been looted in 1945 by the Russians. Here is the account, thrilling to historians, Russia-watchers, and anyone intrigued by an investigation, of how Moorehead found her way past bureaucratic defenses to learn the whereabouts of and the truth about this legendary collection."--Jacket.