About the Journal

Scope of the journal

“Journal of Danish Archaeology, whose first volume is presented here, will have the aim of orientating Scandinavian and European scholars, students, and museum workers on the most important results achieved by archaeological investigation in Denmark or by Danish archaeologists working abroad. Behind its publication stands a broadly-composed editorial committe with representatives from the central and the regional museums, the universities, and from the National Agency for the Protection of Nature, Monuments, and Sites.

The background for launching JDA is the increasing pile-up of unpublished excavations that has accompanied the expansion of Archaeology in Denmark in the 1960's and even more in the 1970's. Only a small selection of these many investigations have found their way into the established periodicals. In this way there has been an increasing disagreement between the existing publication structure and expanding needs. Moreover the established periodicals have been at the disposal mainly of archaeologists at the universities and central museums while today the majority of Danish archaeologists work at regional museums.

It is the editorial committee's hope that the appearance of JDA will help to remove these discrepancies and bring published knowledge more in line with the existing. This will be done by presenting new contributions and adapting publications that have already appeared in smaller local periodicals. JDA will also aim to stimulate archaeological discussion through short comments and reviews.”

Editorial by Kristian Kristiansen, Poul Otto Nielsen and Hans Rostholm of the first volume of the Journal of Danish Archaeology from 1982.