1959 in archaeology
The year 1959 in archaeology involved some significant events.
Excavations
- At Mesa Verde National Park, the Wetherill Mesa Archeological Project begins for excavation of three cliff dwellings, including a survey of Wetherill Mesa and excavation of selected mesa-top sites.
- Excavations begin at Amri.
- Excavations at Nonsuch Palace, Surrey, England, by Martin Biddle begin.
- Excavations at Caernarfon Mithraeum by National Museum Wales.
- Rescue excavation of Roman villa at Cox Green, Berkshire, England.
- Excavations at Finglesham Anglo-Saxon cemetery begin under the direction of Sonia Chadwick Hawkes.
Publications
Finds
- July 17 - Mary Leakey and Louis Leakey find Paranthropus in Olduvai Gorge.
- Arlington Springs Man is found by Phil C. Orr on Santa Rosa Island, California.
- Ongoing excavations at Peking Man Site in Zhoukoudian, China unearth a mandible fragment.
- Da He ding discovered at Tanheli in Hunan, China.
Miscellaneous
- International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property opens in Rome.
Deaths
- December 6 - John Winter Crowfoot, English archaeologist and educational administrator