1921 in archaeology

Explorations

• Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian, China is discovered by Swedish geologist Johan Gunnar Andersson and American palaeontologist Walter W. Granger.

  Excavations

• Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian, China is first excavated by Austrian palaeontologist Otto Zdansky.
• Excavations at Beit She'an by the University of Pennsylvania begin.
• Daya Ram Sahni starts excavations at Harrappa for the Archaeological Survey of India.
• Georgios Sotiriou starts excavations at the church of Agios Gregorios Theologue in Thebes, Greece.

  Finds

• Material unearthed by Otto Zdansky's excavations at Peking Man Site in Zhoukoudian, China which will eventually yield two human molars; but these finds will not be announced until 1926.
• Edward Thurlow Leeds discovers an early settlement site of the Anglo-Saxons at Sutton Courtenay, the first in England to be systematically excavated.
• Hjortspring boat.
• Pernik sword is discovered.

  Publications

• January - Society of Antiquaries of London begins publication of The Antiquaries Journal.

  Births

• March 11 - Philip Rahtz, English archaeologist.
• May 2 - B. B. Lal, Indian archaeologist

  Deaths

• November 4 - Oscar Montelius, Swedish archaeologist