Below are notable events in archaeology that occurred in 1853.
Explorations
Alexander Cunningham examines and describes the ruins at Harappa in the Punjab
John Thurnam begins investigating tumuli around Knap Hill in Wiltshire, England
Excavations
Finds
Hormuzd Rassam excavates the clay tablets which will be deciphered as Epic of Gilgamesh Winter 1853–54 – Archaeologist Ferdinand Keller identifies the remains of the Meilen–Rorenhaab site, first of the prehistoric pile dwellings around Lake Zurich to be located.
Births
June 3 – Flinders Petrie, English Egyptologist (d. 1942) December 26 – Wilhelm Dörpfeld, German architect and archaeologist (d. 1940)
Deaths
June 8 – Howard Vyse, English soldier and Egyptologist (b. 1784) Charles Masson, British explorer of Buddhist sites (b. 1800)