Finally, in 1878, he received the backing from the director of the Berlin Sculpture Museum and financial support from Alexander Conze, as well as the official permits from the Ottoman government, to start excavations in September of the same year. During this initial work, large parts of the artistically extremely valuable frieze of the altar and numerous sculptures were found. Following this success, a second and third excavation missions were carried out, from 1880-1881 and 1883-1886 (assisted by Wilhelm Dörpfeld) respectively. The findings, which by agreement with the Ottoman government became property of the German archaeologists, were transported in carriages to the coast and then loaded onto German Navy ships and taken to Berlin.