| 1 | Nabonidus (6th century BC) | Known as the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, he is considered by some to be the first archaeologist. His main interests were in historical inscriptions and architectural conservation. |
| 2 | Augustus (63 BC – 14 AD) | In his efforts to restore Rome, the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, had many ancient structures renovated, providing insights into architecture of preceding ages. |
| 3 | Pompeii (1st century AD) | There were recorded individuals who cleared and restored homes after the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum, marking perhaps the first post-disaster archaeological work. |
| 4 | Thabit ibn Qurra (826-901 AD) | A mathematician, astronomer, and translator, who conducted some archaeological investigations in his native Harran. |
| 5 | Petrus Alfonsi (11th – 12th century) | A physician, writer and astronomer whose records provide us with archaeological references to the city of Huesca. |
| 6 | Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) | He studied fossils and integrated geological observation into his artworks. |
| 7 | Raja Raja Chola I (10th century AD) | Known for commissioning the temples and other structures of the Chola Empire. |
| 8 | John Leland (1503–1552) | An English antiquary, poet, and clergyman, who conducted several studies relating to the antiquities of England and Wales, describing monastic libraries and recording monuments. |
| 9 | Prosper Mérimée (1803-1870) | The first Inspector-General of historical monuments in France, conducting surveys and contributing significantly towards the study and preservation of French architectural heritage. |
| 10 | Jacques Boucher de Crèvecœur de Perthes (1788-1868) | The first to establish that Europe had been populated by early man, based on his excavation works in the Somme valley. |
| 11 | Augustus Pitt Rivers (1827-1900) | A British army officer and ethnologist who conducted detailed, methodological excavations and pioneered the typological method of artefact classification. |
| 12 | Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890) | A pioneer in the field of archaeology and is known for discovering the remains of the ancient city of Troy. |
| 13 | William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) | One of the founding figures of the field of Egyptology, he also introduced more methodical approaches in archaeology. |
| 14 | Sir Mortimer Wheeler (1890-1976) | Famed for his methodical approach to excavation, Wheeler brought meticulous record keeping to the discipline. |
| 15 | Hiram Bingham III (1875-1956) | Known for discovering the Inca city of Machu Picchu, thereby putting it on the map for future generations. |
