Unfortunately, it has been a number of months since the last issue of The Post Hole was published, and for that I can only apologise. My tenure as editor-in-chief has been a slow and disappointing one, and the guilt hangs heavy in my mind. I could insist that I wrote countless emails to students, or that my studies took up all of my time, but I know, when push comes to shove, that I ought to have done more. The lack of issues is a reflection of my own unjustifiable negligence, and should in no way discredit the efforts of my team. Everyone has worked incredibly hard, and their patience is something to be commended. I only hope that they can find it in their hearts to forgive me.
The ‘Editor’s Choice’ for this issue is an important piece of work by Sophie Jorgensen-Rideout, whose article constitutes an engaging and sensitively written exploration of queer theory. It promotes the active engagement of the LGBTQ community in the study of the past, by subverting biological essentialism and censuring the tendency, within archaeology, to exotify those individuals and groups who do not conform to the binary structures perpetuated in the west. Sophie’s article also steps beyond the theoretical, outlining a number of practical considerations which ought to be afforded LGBTQ people working within our discipline. Archaeology needs to be self-aware if it is to accurately and sympathetically apprehend the complexities of human society, and this article provides precisely that critical self-reflection.
In terms of the other articles, I myself co-write a piece with Tabitha Kabora, on racism within archaeology. Izzy Wisher has explored the connections that can be made between modern primates and early humans, while Rachel Liu has passed a critical eye over the life and work of archaeologist Dorothy Garrod. Last, but by no means least, Hannah Szapary has analysed, in a fascinating article, the issue of prostitution across the ancient Mediterranean.
As always, if you would like to share any of your thoughts, research or experiences with the archaeology community, then please submit your work to submissions [at] theposthole.org. We are always looking for interesting articles to publish, and accept pieces on a wide range of archaeological topics, from prehistory to the present day. For guidance on submission, please visit our website at www.theposthole.org/authors.
Kindest regards,
Daniel Gronow Editor-in-Chief
editor [at] theposthole.org
