The Transactions of this Society have been published more or less annually since the foundation of the Society in 1862. In the early years and certainly up to about the 1950s they were literally a record of the transactions and the proceedings of the Society, meeting by meeting — recording members elected, the business of each meeting and a printed record of all the major papers read to members at the times of meeting. These articles have related to all branches of archaeological, antiquarian, genealogical and scientific research within the areas of Dumfriesshire and Galloway. Over the last thirty years the Transactions have often acted as a vehicle for the official publication of rescue and other excavation reports carried out upon behalf of Historic Environment Scotland and other official bodies.
Since the commencement of the Society the Transactions have been produced in three separate series:
- Series I in six volumes from 1862 to 1868 (online volumes 1001–1006)
- Series II in 24 volumes from 1876 to 1912 (online volumes 2001–2024)
- Series III from 1912 onwards (online volumes 3001 onwards)
An Index to the papers in the Transactions Series I & II was published in 1968. The articles within Series III have also been indexed and appear within various volumes as follows:
- Volumes 1–26 in Volume 29
- Volumes 27–38 in volume 39
- Volumes 39–48 in volume 49
- Volumes 49–58 in volume 59
- Volumes 59–68 in volume 69
Contributions to the Transactions are invited on the Natural History, Geology, Antiquities, Archaeology (including Industrial Archaeology) and the Genealogy of South-West Scotland or the Solway Basin, and preference is always given to original work on local subjects. Intending contributors should, in the first instance, apply to the General Editor giving the nature and approximate size of their paper. Each contributor will see a proof of his or her paper and neither the Editors nor the Society hold themselves responsible for the accuracy of scientific, historical or personal information contained therein.
Instructions for contributors are available as a pdf file: see below.
The Transactions are issued gratis to all paid-up members at the time of issue.