İngiliz arkeolog, topograf, ve haritacı, Cambridge üniversitesi mezunu William Gell (1777-1836), yunan kültürü alanında çalışma yapmış önemli araştırmacılardan biridir. Gezdiği yerler arasında İthaka adası (1801 ve 1806), Truva yöresi (1801), İyon Adaları -Korfu, Zante, Kefalonya ve diğerleri- (1803), Peloponez (Mora), Saronikos Körfezi ve adaları, Rumeli (Sterea Ellada) bölgesi ve Tesalya (1805) bulunmakta. Son olarak 1812 yılında, Dilettanti Grubunun bir projesi kapsamında Anadolu'da yunan kültürü kalıntılarının bulunduğu yerleri ziyaret eder. Bunların dışında İtalya'nın da çeşitli yörelerini gezer, nitekim ölümü İtalya'da vuku bulur.

Çalışmalarında çok üretken olan Gell'in, 800 kadar eskizi ve birçok yayını bulunmakta. Başlıca uğraşlarından biri Homeros'un yapıtlarında geçen yer adlarının özdeşleştirilmesi sorunuydu. Vardığı sonuçlar ayrıntılı ve kanıtlı araştırmalar sonucu olmalarına rağmen bir çok durumda keyfi ve safça olup, kendisiyle birlikte gezide bulunan gezginler tarafından eleştirilmişti. Samimi bir Yunan dostu olmakla birlikte Yunan özgürlük savaşının en hassas anında (1823) Yunanlılara karşı sert eleştiriler yöneltmekten çekinmemiş olan Gell, W.M. Leake, Ed. Dodwell ve Lord Byron gibi şahsiyetler yanında gölgeye düşer.

1801 yılının Kasım ayında Midilli'de bulunan Gell yanında bir arkadaş ve bir çevirmenle Molivos ve Cunta adalarına gitmek üzere yola çıkar. Aleksandria Troas antik sitine gelirler ve yerli rehberler eşliğinde Truva'yı gezdikten sonra buradan Bozcaada'ya (Tenedos) devam ederler. Durmadan desen ve planlar çizen Gell antik yazarlardan olduğu gibi çağdaşı yazarlardan da ayrıntılı notlar kaydetmişti. Zor hava koşullarına rağmen araştırmalarını bütünleyip Gelibolu ve İstanbul'a gider. Strabon'un metinlerine ve kendisinden önce geziler yapmış Lechevalier, Moritt, Clarke gibi gezgin-araştırmacıların eserlerine danışır, ancak kendi sonuçları arkeolojik araştırmaların daha sonra vardığı özdeşleşmelerden uzaktır. Sözkonusu yayını süsleyen sonradan renklendirilmiş bakır gravürler okura bol ırmaklar ve verimli topraklardan oluşan coğrafyadan bir çeşni tattırıp, sergilenen her höyük yada yamaç yazar tarafından Homeros'un betimlediği yerlerle özdeşleştirilmektedir.

Yazan: İoli Vingopoulou

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  Title page. Imaginary representation of the city of Troy accompanied by extract from the Iliad.

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  Various landscapes in the Troad: Α. View of Mount Ida. B. View of ancient Atandros (today Altınoluk). C. Cape Baba (anc. Lekton cape) in the Troad. D. View of part of Lesbos island. E. View of Cape Baba (anc. Lekton cape) in the Troad.

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  View of the village Babakale in the Troad.

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  4.View of the village Babakale at Cape Baba, in the Troad. 5. Landscape near the Cape Eski Stambul in the Troad. The author notes the sites of Alexandria Troad (C) και Tenedos island (E).

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  Landscapes in the Troad, somewhere in between Cape Eski Stambul and the Dardanelles. G denotes the site where the Baths of Alexandria Troad are found.

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  View from the Eastern side of Alexandria Troas.

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  Landscape near Geykli in the Troad. In the background Tenedos island.

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  Landscape near Geykli in the Troad.

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  Landscapes in the Troad, from Geykli to the Dardanelles and Troy.

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  Fig. 1. Landscape around the village of Yenişehir, near ancient Sigeion. Fig. 2. Landscape around Troy. Α denotes the place of the city, while B the place of Yeniköy, where, according to the legent, the Tomb of Peneleos, Achaean soldier in the Trojan War, was found.

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  Landscape in the Troad, between Kumkale and Beşika Burnu (anc. Achilleion), where according to the legend the Tomb of Achilles is found. In the background Mount Ida.

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  Εικ. 1. The southern point of the Dardanelles Fig. 2. Hill near Seddülbahir. The author identifies this hill with the Tomb of Protesilaos.

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  The confluence of Karamenderes (anc. Scamander) with Simoes river. In the background the hills of the village Çıplak, area where part of Troy VII is found.

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  Εικ. 1. Landscape around Üvecik, in the larger area of the city of Troy. Fig. 2. Landscape if the Troad. On the left the Castel of Kumkale. On the right the site of the Tomb of Aias, in the ancient city of Rhoiteion (today Intepe).

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  Muslim cemetery in the confluence of Karamenders (anc. Scamander) and Simoes rivers.

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  The sources of Karamenderes (anc. Scamander) river around Mount Ida, in the Troad.

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  The confluence of Karamenderes (and. Scamander) river with Simoes, river north of the city of Troy.

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  The river Karamenderes (anc. Scamander) and the its outfall to the Dardanelles.

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  View of the plain of Troy from the Tomb of Antilochus, on the eastern shore of the Dardanelles, and close to the ancient city of Rhoiteion (today Intepe).

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  The Tombs of Hector and Aesyetes in the vale of Karamenders (anc. Scamander) river.

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  View of the Tomb of Antilochus, on the eastern shore of the Dardanelles, and close to the ancient city of Rhoiteion (today Intepe).

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  View of the Tomb of Achilles (Beşiktepe) in Beşika Burnu (anc. Achilleion).

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  View of part of the Dardanells from the Tomb of Achilles (Beşiktepe). In the background the Castle of Kumkale.

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  Landscape around the shores of Simoes river in the plain of Troy.

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  Landscape in the vale of Simoes river, most probably north of today's village Kalafat.

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  Landscape in between the village of Kalafat and Bunarbaşı, site identified erroneously with Troy in the nineteenth-century.

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  Warm source of Karamenderes (anc. Scamander) river near the village of Bunarbaşı. In the background the house of the Ottoman Aga, where the author stayed during his visit.

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  Cold spring of Karamenderes (anc. Scamander) river.

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  View of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  View of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  View of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy. In the foreground the court of the House of the Ottoman Aga, where the author stayed during his visit.

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  View of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy. In the background the Dardanelles.

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  South view of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  View of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  Landscape around Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  Tombs around Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  Panoramic view of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy. In the background the Dardanelles.

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  Foundations on the summit of the hill of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  West view of Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy. In the background the island of Tenedos.

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  Landscape around Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy. In the background the Dardanelles.

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  Hills around Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  Hills around Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  Relief and capital of column from Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  Map of the area around Bunarbaşı, village, erroneously identified in the nineteenth-century with Troy.

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  Map of the plain of Troy.