Why does peer review take so long in archaeology?

I submitted my dig report ages ago and heard nothing back. What's the typical wait time?

3 comments

3 Comments

Consider how dig reports often need expert checks before formal review. For instance, if you found animal bones, you might wait for a bone specialist to be free. Journal reviews drag on because only a handful of people know your specific topic. It's common to wait six months to a year for a response. Your report could be sitting on a reviewer's desk while they teach or dig. Send a polite email to the editor if it's been more than six months.

the_michael2d ago

Kaih94's Guatemala example shows our whole field relies on like five busy people.

kaih942d ago

Yeah, that point about only a handful of people knowing your topic is so true. I've been there waiting forever on reviews, and it's brutal. My last paper on ceramic typology (from a dig in Ohio) sat with a reviewer for eight months because they were on a field season in Guatemala. It's not just teaching, like you said, but field work can really throw a wrench in the timeline. Editors often struggle to find anyone free who actually gets your niche area. Sending a polite email after six months is pretty much the only move, but even that feels like shouting into the void sometimes.