A Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

It has been an interesting and challenging first year as the Editor-in-Chief of the AJA, and I continue to have much to learn. During 2017, we were able to maintain an average of about five months from the date of submission to the date of the initial decision. The interval from the date of submission to the date of publication varies depending on how many times a manuscript must be revised and re-reviewed; the median time to publication for the articles that appeared in volume 121, issue 4 (October 2017), was between 10 and 11 months.

In speaking with colleagues, I have been surprised to learn that some readers of the AJA are not familiar with the AJA e-Update, a monthly email newsletter with links to the journal’s online open access material and a list of the full contents of the latest issue. AJA’s open access content includes book reviews, museum exhibition reviews, and one or two articles from each issue; all of this can be accessed with a click or two via the monthly email. The e-Update is available to everyone, both subscribers to the AJA and nonsubscribers. However, subscribers to the AJA should be aware that they must opt in to receive the e-Update; out of consideration to overburdened inboxes, the AJA does not send the monthly message to subscribers unless they request it. To receive the e-Update, go to www.ajaonline.org/e-update.

A letter from Josephine Shaya, the new Museum Review Editor for the AJA, appears in the following pages. Jo will soon introduce a new section on AJA Online that will provide information about current and upcoming museum exhibitions related to topics within the scope of the AJA (defined by the AIA’s Governing Board as “the art and archaeology of ancient Europe and the Mediterranean world, including the Near East and Egypt, from prehistoric to Late Antique times”). The list will include exhibitions worldwide and give dates, locations, the availability of catalogues, and other pertinent information. Scholars often know about exhibitions planned or current in their own areas of specialization; we hope that many will be interested in shows about other areas of ancient European, Mediterranean, and Near East archaeology.

My previous Editorial Assistant, Michael McGlin, returned to full-time work on his dissertation at SUNY Buffalo. I want to thank Mike for much hard work and dedication. My new Editorial Assistant is Christine Johnston, a specialist in the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean, who lives in Vancouver, B.C., and teaches at Western Washington University.

Jane B. Carter
Editor-in-Chief
44 Beacon Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-3614
jcarter@tulane.edu