The periodical that we are offering to the interested reader is devoted to the study of languages,
literatures and the spiritual world of the Slavs from the earliest times to the beginning of the 18th century.
Through our publication, we intend to fill the gap that presently exists in Slavic
periodical literature on account of the virtual absence of journals specializing in Slavic antiquities in the wide meaning
of that term.
The kind of specialization that prevails among
a large number of existing Slavic periodicals imposes severe limitations on contributions we have in mind, namely, diachronic
investigations, including those of interdisciplinary nature, and presentation of factual material. Due to their subject matter
and the goals they pursue, such contributions do not easily fit the format of most present-day periodicals. Even if accepted,
they might run the risk of being lost in the "modern" surroundings, exotic from the point of view of their own subject
matter.
Such problems are faced by all students of the Slavic Middle Ages and folklore.
These shared problems, moreover, become more acute for those scholars who have retained a traditional way of doing things
at the time when the prevalent methodology is non-traditional. In the environment offered by the standard Slavic periodicals,
studies devoted to the description of facts and avoiding striking methodological innovations and fashionable terminology pale
in comparison with the innovative studies and do not attract the attention of the reader, especially — and this is most
regrettable — the younger reader.
Consequently, one of the goals of our publication
is to provide an ecological niche of sorts for authors who do research in traditional ways. It is hoped that they will feel
comfortable on our pages, appearing there along with colleagues who share their way of thinking. We also extend our hospitality
to like minded younger scholars, for it is on such people, we believe, that the future of our discipline depends in the long
run. Of course, the common methodological bent on the part of our contributors will not preclude the expression of differences
of opinion.
Our initiative is not exclusively due to our concern for needs of scholars; we are
concerned about the direction taken by Slavic Scholarship itself. That is why, in ideal terms, Palaeoslavica is conceived
as an attempt to provide room for an alternative current in Slavic studies.
These, however,
are mere dreams. For the time being, the editor hopes that the new periodical will to some extent revive and continue the
tradition of such venerable publications in our field as Чтения в Обществе
Истории и Древностей
Российских, Живая старина,
and the Глас and Споменик of the Serbian Royal Academy
of Sciences. There is much to be learned from "old" scholarship, from the attention it paid to facts and from the
unhurried and careful ways in which it reached its conclusions.
Palaeoslavica consists of four
sections: Articles, Publications of Texts, Speculum, and Miscellanea. We give special weight
to the Publications of Texts and to Miscellanea, and they, in our opinion, determine the profile of our periodical: it is
mainly through the latter two sections that new facts are brought to the attention of the scholarly community. From time to
time, the section Publication of Texts will republish studies of older date and of difficult access. Some of these studies,
forgotten today, have retained their value and offer a wealth of material. The republished texts will be brought up to date
through commentaries reflecting the present state of scholarship. The section entitled Speculum is devoted to discussions
and polemics. Finally, the editor plans to print occasional Supplements which will contain longer studies.
The periodical is intended as a yearly publication. Contributions are accepted in all Slavic and in main modern European
languages. We leave to the discretion of individual contributors the choice of the system of transliteration, of transcription,
of the format of footnotes, and the form in which proper names will appear in their articles.
THE EDITOR
Palaeoslavica is happy to announce it
has entered into a content licensing relationship with EBSCO.
