Petrie's main activity was the continuation of the measurement-survey of the pyramids at Giza, which was started the preceding season (1880 to 1881). This was the first season that Petrie took photographs using the pinhole camera he built himself. -Main site: Giza.
Other sites: Saqqara, Abusir, Maidum, el-Hiba, Kom el-Ahmar, Amarna, Dendera, Thebes, Medinet Habu, Ramesseum, Luxor, Medinet el-Faiyum, Dahshur, Hawara.
Petrie, assisted by F. Ll. Griffith and E. A. Gardner, resumes excavating at Naucratis. In January 1886, Gardner is left to continue excavating at Naucratis while Petrie and Griffith begin excavating at Nebesha. At the end of March 1886, Petrie moves to Dafana and excavates there.
Main sites: Naucratis (Naukratis), Nabesha (Tell Nebesha; Tell Farun), and Dafana (Tell Dafana; Daphnae).
Other sites: Tanis (San el-Hagar).
Pages 7-9 and 45-6 are copies of letters by Petrie's mother Anne.