Archaeological Society of British Columbia
Currently on hiatus

The Midden

The Midden is the name of our quarterly journal, and reflects the rich archaeological and ancestral history shell deposits contain.

Dedicated exclusively to the Archaeology of British Columbia, it contains:

  • Illustrated articles and news about BC Archaeology

  • A publication list and book reviews

  • Information on upcoming lectures, exhibitions and conferences

  • A full list of all permits issued by the B.C. Archaeology Branch for any archaeological projects undertaken in B.C

Digital copies of The Midden are available to all through the University of Victoria Library here.

History

The Midden began as a six-page newsletter in 1968 and has gradually emerged as a respectable, bound publication.

In 1983 the first grant to assist with publication was awarded by the B.C. Heritage Trust. The Trust continued support for publishing The Midden every year until 2021, helping to keep our rates at a minimum and making the publication available free to our members, and at a minimal cost to subscribers around the world. Over 300 copies of each issue were distributed to members, who received the publication as part of their membership, and subscribers such as libraries, educational institutions, students, professional archaeologists and archaeology enthusiasts. In 2021 we released our entire archives for free to everyone through the University of Victoria.

he Midden was largely produced by an in-house volunteer editorial committee who collectively contribute to soliciting, editing, and proofreading content including news, field reports, and recent publications.

Future

The Midden is currently on hiatus. This journal is entirely volunteer run by academics and professional archaeologists and due to the busy lives many people now lead, we have had to temporarily place it on hiatus. Our most recent issue was produced by an at-arms-length editorial board, and we hope to continue this model in the future. As our most recent release suggests, we are also exploring changing the name of the journal, as we recognize that the definition of its current name can imply a level of disregard that is not actually reflective of the importance of these cultural remains.