Below are notable events in archaeology that occurred in 1900.
Excavations
- March 16: Arthur Evans purchases Knossos and soon after begins excavations.
- Excavations by Friedrich Delitzsch began at Assur.
- University of Pennsylvania excavations at Nippur concluded (began in 1888).
- Gordium was excavated by Gustav and Alfred Körte.
- Kavousi was excavated by Harriet Boyd.
- Villa Boscoreale, near Pompeii, was excavated.
- Excavations at Hedeby in Jutland begin.
Finds
- April 5: A large cache of clay tablets with a script used for writing Mycenaean Greek, now known as Linear B, is found at Knossos.
- May: The Migdale Hoard of early Bronze Age jewellery was discovered near Bonar Bridge in Scotland.
- October: Greek sponge divers discover the Antikythera wreck.
- Dr. James K. Hampson’s discovery of the 35-Mastodon skeleton in the Mississippi River.
- The site of the Temple of Eshmun was discovered in Lebanon.
Births
- May 2 – A. W. Lawrence, English Classical archaeologist (d. 1991).
- May 23 – Gustav Riek, German archaeologist (d. 1976).
- August 18 – Glenn Albert Black, American archaeologist (d. 1964).
- August 19 – Dorothy Burr Thompson, American archaeologist and art historian (d. 2001).
Deaths
- May 4 – Augustus Pitt Rivers, English ethnologist and archaeologist (b. 1827).
- May 18 – Félix Ravaisson-Mollien, French philosopher and archaeologist (b. 1813).
References
- Selwood, Dominic (April 5, 2017). “On this day in 1900: Archaeologists find the key to a 3,000-year-old lost Greek civilisation”. The Telegraph. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
- “Historic Figures: Augustus Pitt Rivers (1827–1900)”. BBC History. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
- “Jean-Gaspard-Felix Lacher Ravaisson-Mollien – French philosopher”. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
Staff Writers at Open Chronicle produce in-depth, field-informed reporting on defense, diplomacy, cultural transformation, and global affairs. Known for clarity, accuracy, and analytical depth, they connect breaking developments to broader historical and strategic contexts. In addition to frontline journalism, Staff Writers also contribute to the Open Chronicle Encyclopedia, crafting authoritative entries that preserve critical knowledge and enrich public understanding.