The 2024/1 EXARC Journal is bringing you seven reviewed and five mixed matter articles. All the articles are open access to allow for free exchange of information and further development of our knowledge of the past.

The reviewed articles come from far and wide. This time round we have four articles coming from Europe (Estonia, Denmark, Netherlands and UK) while the other two are from China and India. Trevor Creighton from Butser Ancient Farm (UK) discusses the problems and limitations of reconstructing a Neolithic building. Kaari Siemer talks about the use of the ‘time travel’ method in Estonia. The Dutch team tested a hypothesis on use-wear traces on scrapers, the Chinese team carried out an experimental reconstruction of herbal and mineral hair colours. Garima Singh (India) dedicated her study to the evolution of pyrotechnology within Harrapan culture. David Sim (UK) discusses the production of Roman metal pen nibs. Finally, the Danish team carried out experiments with painting Viking Age woodwork.

The mixed matters section contains reports from various events: A meeting of heritage sector’s professional and volunteer contributors in the Netherlands, an international internet dialogue on museums celebrating International Museum Day, the Ancient shipping and shipbuilding seminar in Ukraine and others.