The year 1805 in archaeology involved some significant events.

Explorations

• The Snake River is discovered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Excavations

• Clearance and survey of the 8th century Prambanan Hindu temple compound on Java.^[1]

Finds

• A Roman mosaic is discovered under the southwest angle of the Bank of England, at a depth of 12 feet (3 m).
• The Codex Borgia is discovered by Alexander von Humboldt among the effects of Cardinal Stefano Borgia.

Other events

• The British Museum purchases Charles Townley's collection of Roman sculpture.

Publications

Births

• June 30 - Rudolf Wagner, German anatomist, physiologist, anthropologist and archaeologist (d. 1864).
• November 28 - John Lloyd Stephens, American explorer of Maya civilization sites in Central America (d. 1852)

Deaths