Seventy-five years is a brief time-span in archaeological terms but it is a long life for an academic journal. So it is with some pride that the past and present editors of Antiquity are celebrating the 75th anniversary of a publication which has become one of the leading journals of archaeology.

Today public interest in archaeology is fuelled by TV series like Time Team, Meet the Ancestors and Secrets of the Dead, but it was already attracting popular attention in 1927 when the journal began. O.G.S. Crawford, the founding editor, welcomed this wider audience in his opening editorial:
'The universal interest in the past is perfectly natural. It is the interest in life itself. There was a time when archaeology was voted a dull subject, fit only for dry-as-dusts; yet it was not the subject that was dull, but its exponents. Those days are over.'

In his 30 years as Antiquity's editor Crawford brought world archaeology to the attention of the public and academics alike, in an accessible way that transcended narrow specialist interests. His successors have stayed true to this mission, working to preserve the wide international range, accessible style and personalised provocative editorials that characterised Crawford's editorship.

Over the last 46 years, the editors have all been based at the University of Cambridge. Professor Glyn Daniel (1957-1986) of St. John's College brought a distinctive style to the editorials, a skill that also earned him the Television Personality of the Year award. His successor Dr Christopher Chippindale (1987-1996) re-invigorated the international dimension of the journal and brought in new printing technology, also introducing the first electronic publication - a web-page and complete online index. Over the last five years, the editorship has been in the hands of Dr Caroline Malone (New Hall and British Museum) and Dr Simon Stoddart (Magdalene College and Department of Archaeology).

An important feature of Antiquity's Cambridge years has been the professional partnership of each editorial team (Glyn and Ruth Daniel, Chris and Anne Chippindale, Caroline Malone and Simon Stoddart), ensuring an enviable regularity and coherence of publication.

The journal has resolutely retained its independence to act as a bridge between the archaeological community and the interested public, under the guidance of Trustees, free from the pressures of commercial publishers or a host society. The regular quarterly publication of the journal (in March, June, September and December) has permitted the journal to keep abreast of recent developments, ideas and discoveries.

Each issue contains a personal editorial on the salient issues of the day, followed by colour notes and news, longer peer-reviewed notes and papers, and a detailed book review section, totalling some 1,000 pages each year. The content covers a wide range of material, from Australia to Alaska, from Geographical Information Systems to artefact analysis and from palaeolithic art to Cold War archaeology. An advertising Supplement also accompanies each issue, keeping subscribers up to date with books, conferences and appointments.

The celebration of 75 years has been marked in the United States and London. Last month a symposium held at the Society for American Archaeology conference in Denver, Colorado, considered the achievement of Antiquity . The participants included past and current editors, a senior Trustee, advisory editors and the editor of American Antiquity. At a gathering yesterday (Thursday 25 April) in the Society of Antiquaries, London, Professors Cunliffe, Renfrew and Snodgrass recalled the 75 years of Antiquity in the presence of an invited audience.

The journal has commemorated its 75 years by initiating a programme of reprinting classic papers (Antiquity Papers) on leading themes. Landcapes from Antiquity appeared in 2000 and Celts from Antiquity has just been published.

The current editors are supported by a team which includes Nicholas James (Reviews editor), Helen Strudwick (editorial assistant), Anne Chippindale (Production) and Libby Peachey (Advertising/internet), and a board of directors headed by Dr Joan Oates (Girton College and McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research).

Further details of the journal and Papers from Antiquity can be found on the Journal web page or by contacting the editorial office (catm20@cam.ac.uk) at Antiquity , New Hall, Cambridge CB3 ODF.

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