History of the EAZ

A predecessor of the EAZ was the journal the Ethnographisch-Archaeologische Forschungen (Ethnographic-archaeological Studies), which was founded in 1953 at the Humboldt University in Berlin. In total 6 issues were published by the DVW (Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften), under the editorship of archaeologist Karl-Heinz Otto and ethnographer Heinz Kothe until 1959. The aim of the journal was to integrate pre-and proto-historic archaeology, cultural, and physical anthropology in the tradition of the respective interdisciplinary approach launched in Germany in the mid-19th century. From 1960 onwards Otto could continue the journal under the new name the Ethnographisch-Archaeologische Zeitschrift. It was first released biannually, from 1967 onwards three issues a year were published. The authors were mainly archaeologists and ethnographers from the German Democratic Republic. From 1970 to 1991 prehistoric archaeologist Heinz Gruenert became editor in chief, followed by prehistoric and ethnoarchaeologist Ruth Struwe from 1992 to 1994. Struwe was joined by medieval archaeologist Johan Callmer in 1996. The journal would also be published in four issues per year.

With the closure of the archaeological department at the Humboldt University, the EAZ was published in Leipzig by Waxmann Verlag since the third issue of 2009. The editorship was now in the hands of Ulrich Veit, together with the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Theorien in der Archaeologie (AG TidA), an association promoting theoretical and methodological discussions in archaeology. The prehistoric archaeologist Veit had also studied geology, anthropology, and ethnology. The EAZ now also increasingly incorporated theoretical and methodological contributions and reflections on the history of science. The temporarily final volume of the EAZ was published in 2018.

From 2021 the Ethnographisch-Archaeologische Zeitschrift is sponsored by the Cluster of Excellence ROOTS “Social, Environmental, and Cultural Connectivity in Past Societies” (Kiel University). The journal continues to be a cross-disciplinary journal devoted to research on human behaviour within dynamic socio-cultural and environmental settings, with a decidedly long-term and worldwide scope. The Ethnographisch-Archaeologische Zeitschrift will provide a novel, transdisciplinary and international forum for these debates that is grounded in its long-standing history as a cross-field medium, integrate a multitude of approaches and thought styles from diverse scientific and also descendent/indigenous backgrounds.