The 2022-3 EXARC Journal is now published, bringing you 8 reviewed and seven mixed matters articles.

All the articles are open access to allow for free exchange of information and further development of our knowledge of the past. Two of the reviewed articles introduce different aspects of RETOLD, the project ensuring that open-air museums can continue telling important cultural heritage stories by developing a standardised data collection.

The six experimental articles vary widely from investigation into polished vessel surfaces through reconstruction of a tablet woven band from the Oseberg and reconstruction of the Iceman's arrow quiver to charring experiments with a variety of modern seed samples. The two articles that stand out are the articles the first experimental archaeological study to formally compare the physical characteristics of tattoos made on human skin using multiple pre-modern tools and tattooing techniques, and article breaching a highly interesting point: “when the only thing we have is the archaeologist’s body, how can we do archaeology?”

Mixed Matters articles include two event reviews: 50 years of cooperation between the University of Vienna and MAMUZ written by Franz Pieler, and Metallurgy Short Course at SHARP, 2022 written by Giovanna Fregni. There are also two book reviews: Investigations into the Dyeing Industry in Pompeii by H. Hopkins Pepper, reviewed by Mante van den Heuvel, and Studies in Experimental Archaeometallurgy: Metallurgies by George Verly et al, reviewed by Terry Runner. Giovanna Fregni also provides us with a review of The Historical Metallurgy Society’s Second Accidental and Experimental Conference from June this year, and Roeland Paardekooper reviews the ICOM Museum Convention in Prague from August this year. And finally, Ulrike Braun presents an overview of Virtual Reality: 1 project – 13 museums.