francis h. bacon (an advisor to heinrich schliemann) introduced koldewey to archaeology at the excavation of assos in 1882–1883. koldewey went on to conduct digs for the german archaeological institute, at hellenic sites including lesbos (1885–1886) and mesopotamian sites such as lagash (1887). in 1890–1891 and 1894, he worked with felix von luschan on the excavation of a hellenic city in sicily.