Editorial, SMEA NS 10, 2024

t is for me an honour to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief of SMEA, succeeding Anna Lucia D’Agata, who has led this prestigious journal over the past decade with exceptional dedication and strategic vision. I am deeply grateful to the CNR authorities and to the Director of the ISPC, Costanza Miliani, as well as to the journal’s Editorial Board for the trust they have placed in me.

As highlighted in the previous editorial, SMEA has achieved a number of significant milestones: the establishment of an international editorial board, the implementation of a rigorous reviewing process, the inclusion in the international ERIH-PLUS platform, the creation of a dedicated website, and the publication of a series of supplementary volumes. These achievements provide a solid foundation on which to build the future of the journal.

In the coming years, SMEA aims to further expand its international reach through several strategic initiatives: integrating traditional and innovative research approaches, supporting emerging scholars, enhancing content indexing on major academic platforms, and expanding its existing open access policies.

In this moment of transition, it is essential to reflect on the significant, and in some cases unprecedented, challenges currently facing Aegean and Anatolian archaeology. Among the most pressing are the integration of advanced scientific methodologies into the interpretation of archaeological contexts; the reassessment of long-standing historical narratives in light of new discoveries; the growing emphasis on the socio-economic and environmental dimensions of ancient societies; and the development of more sophisticated interpretative models aimed at elucidating regional systems of interaction and exchange. In line with its scholarly mission, SMEA intends to prioritize these critical areas of research, fostering contributions that engage with contemporary debates and promote interdisciplinary and methodologically innovative approaches.

Within the field of Aegean and Anatolian studies, epigraphic, philological, and linguistic research continues to play a strategic and indispensable role. In particular, the study of pre-classical Aegean and Anatolian texts and their respective writing systems remains crucial for understanding the socio-economic and cultural complexity of the societies that produced and used them. SMEA aims to further consolidate its longstanding tradition in these domains by supporting novel approaches and encouraging cross-disciplinary dialogue.

Equal attention will likewise be devoted to comparative studies between the Aegean civilizations and the coeval cultures of the Mediterranean and the Near East, with the objective of situating them within a broader historical framework and clarifying the dynamics of interaction and exchange that shaped their development.

Finally, priority will also be accorded to studies exploring the relationships between the Mycenaean world and subsequent phases of Greek history, a field of research that continues to reveal meaningful connections and illuminate the processes of cultural transmission within the Greek world.

SMEA intends to position itself as a privileged forum for debate on these crucial topics, maintaining the scientific rigor that has always distinguished it and strengthening its role as a bridge between different research traditions and methodological approaches. To this end, I very much hope that scholars and researchers will continue to contribute their most innovative work to ensure that the journal remains at the forefront of the international scientific community.