1973 in archaeology

The year 1973 in archaeology involved some significant events.

Explorations

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Excavations

• Meadowcroft Rock Shelter under James M. Adovasio.
• Heavenly Horse Tomb (Cheonmachong), a mounded tomb of Silla (c. AD 300/400-668) royalty in Gyeongju, Korea.
• Wilhelmina Feemster Jashemski and her colleagues has the opportunity to work on the previously undisturbed peristyle garden of the House of G. Polybius in Pompeii.
• Somerset Levels Project begins.

Finds

• Vindolanda tablets discovered by Robin Birley near Hadrian's Wall, England.
• Fossils of a human premolar and 40 mammalian species excavated at Locality 4 in Zhoukoudian, China.
• St Peter's Church, Dunwich, discovered submerged off the Suffolk coast of England by Stuart Bacon.

Events

• First Mesa Redonda de Palenque conference in Palenque starts very productive process leading to major improvements in understanding Maya hieroglyphics and the iconography of Maya civilization.
• Tucson Garbage Project initiated by William Rathje.
• July 18 - Protection of Wrecks Act passed in the United Kingdom. The first site designated under it is the Cattewater Wreck at Plymouth on September 5.

Publications

• Coles, John. Archaeology by Experiment. London: Hutchinson University Library. ISBN 0-09-116870-8. 
• Renfrew, Colin. Before Civilisation: the Radiocarbon Revolution and Prehistoric Europe. London: Cape. ISBN 0-224-00790-4. 
• Renfrew, Jane M.. Palaeoethnobotany: the prehistoric food plants of the Near East and Europe. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-416-16510-9. 

Births

Deaths