Below are notable events in archaeology that occurred in 1881.
Explorations Alfred Maudslay begins his thorough examination of Quiriguá.
Excavations Timgad, Algeria, is excavated. The excavations at Olympia, Greece which began in 1875 and were led by Ernst Curtius end. Mount Nemrut, Turkey, is excavated by German engineer Karl Sester. Great Pyramid of Cholula in Mexico is investigated by Swiss-born American archaeologist Adolph Bandelier. Pyramid of Unas in Egypt is investigated by French archaeologist Gaston Maspero.
Finds February – the Domvs Romana in Melite in Malta is discovered during landscaping March – Augustus Pitt Rivers finds palaeolithic flints in concreted gravels of the Nile terraces near Thebes. July 6 – "Official" discovery of the Royal Cache collective tomb (TT320, previously known as DB320) at Deir el-Bahari in Egypt, containing eleven pharaohs (including Ramesses II) and dozens of other royal individuals. The contents are removed within 48 hours. Capt. H. L. Wells, RE, finds Qadamgah in Fars province, Persia (Iran). The birch bark Bakhshali manuscript, incorporating perhaps the earliest known use of mathematical zero, is unearthed near Bakhshali in British India.
Publications John Evans – The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland. H. A. Fletcher – "The archaeology of the west Cumberland iron trade". Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Archaeological Society 5:5–21. Possible earliest use of the term "Industrial archaeology" in the English language.Forest and Stream (New York) 1881-05-26 16:326; The Builder (London) 1881-08-06 41:164.
Other events February 22 – 'Cleopatra's Needle' erected in Central Park, New York.
Births December 19 – Hetty Goldman, American archaeologist (d. 1972)
Deaths January 24 – Frances Stackhouse Acton, English botanist, archaeologist, artist and writer (b. 1794) May 19 – Joseph Barnard Davis, English craniologist (b. 1801) June 21 – Ferdinand Keller, Swiss archaeologist (b. 1800)
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