The German Archaeological Institute has been publishing its yearbook since 1885, with each volume containing ten papers covering principally Classical - i.e. Greek and Roman - Archaeology, although from time to time Early Byzantine to Early Islamic topics are also treated, as are those from Early Anatolian and Western European History.

In recent years, the contents of the Yearbook have been constantly specialised and expanded; subjects include art history and the history of style, iconography, hermeneutics, typology, compilations of material and the reconstruction of sculpture and architecture. Presented in an expertly crafted, expensively bound edition, each volume contains papers on a variety of subjects. Languages of publication are German, English, French and Italian.

The Yearbook does not contain any excavation reports, news items or book reviews; it is dedicated exclusively to research discussions on known larger complexes of finds. Thus with its critical apparatus and catalogue references, where appropriate, it guarantees a state of the art account.