The Sussex Archaeological Collections

The Sussex Archaeological Collections is a scholarly journal about the history and archaeology of Sussex. 

The annual journal of The Sussex Archaeology Society, it is central to our purpose as a learned society. It has been providing archaeologists, historians and researchers with a platform to share their discoveries since 1847. 

Members of The Sussex Archaeological Society receive a copy as a membership benefit and past copies are available to non-members through various channels.

 

One of England’s oldest continually published county archaeological journals

The Sussex Archaeological Collections is one of the oldest continually published county archaeological journals in England. 

It was in 1846 that members of The Sussex Archaeological Society resolved ‘to prepare and print occasional papers for distribution among the Members’. It was agreed that the title of the volume be ‘Sussex Archaeological Collections’.

The first volume was published in 1847 – the same year that Charlotte Brontë published Jane Eyre, Emily Brontë published Wuthering Heights, and William Makepeace Thackeray published Vanity Fair. 

The Collections are a major scholarly resource for the study of the archaeology and history of Sussex, with each new volume containing the latest peer-reviewed articles from contributors. 

As an easily accessible, permanent record of the research being conducted into Sussex’s archaeology and history, they’re essential reading for anyone interested in the County’s past.

 

Over 150 editions…and counting

The Sussex Archaeological Collections is a major scholarly contribution to the study of the archaeology and history of Sussex. At the time of writing in 2021, 158 volumes have been published. 

These volumes contain over 1960 feature articles by over 800 different authors. There are also 1300+ short articles and scholarly notes. 

A further 850 articles can be found in the Society’s companion volume Sussex Notes and Queries, which was published between 1926 and 1971.

 

Editors through the centuries

There have been twenty-three named editors of the ‘Collections’. 

The first editor was antiquarian scholar William Henry Blaaw (1793–1870) who oversaw the first eight volumes of the journal and contributed some 34 articles. An influential figure, Blaaw had been instrumental in creating the Society and remained as its honorary Secretary until 1867. 

Despite his many articles, Blaaw was not the most prolific contributor. That title goes to Mark Anthony Lower (1814–1876), another of the Society’s founders, who published 55 articles in the Collections. 

The longest serving editor, Louis Francis Salzman (1878–1971), held the post for a remarkable 48 years – a feat not matched since. 

Salzman, whose knowledge of antiquities was described as ‘deep, versatile, and generously shared’, was a notable medievalist whose tenure was a watershed for the Collections. He was the first to be a professional historian, archaeologist or archivist, as have been most of his successors. 

The current editor is Dr Jaime Kaminski.  Jaime has a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Reading (1995). His academic research has a strong focus on the archaeology and history of Sussex. He is a life member of the Society and has sat on many of the Society’s committees since 2008 and been a trustee (2015–2021). Jaime is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS), a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA).

 

How can I read The Sussex Archaeological Collections?

Members of The Sussex Archaeological Society receive a free copy of The Collections once a year, as one of their membership benefits. 

Digital copies of the volumes are also available online at the Archaeology Data Services’ website. These are released two years behind the current volume.

Individual articles – with links to online versions – are included in The Sussex Archaeological Society’s online library catalogue where available.

 

How do I contribute to The Sussex Archaeological Collections?

There are no restrictions on who can submit an article. All articles are peer-reviewed to ensure that consistently high standards are maintained.  

Contributors are typically archaeologists and historians from academia, commercial archaeological units and local societies.

If you would like to submit an article to the Sussex Archaeological Collections, please email our editor and request the Notes for Contributors.