Ex Novo Issue 9 explores the diverse, dynamic, and often contested landscapes of African archaeology. Moving beyond long-standing colonial and Eurocentric frames, this volume highlights how African pasts are interpreted, represented, and sustained today. From the Sebou Basin in Morocco—where natural and cultural heritage intertwine—to the lived experiences of early-career African archaeologists navigating structural inequalities, the thematic core addresses both the material and institutional conditions shaping the field. A study of Roman Africa on screen interrogates enduring orientalist stereotypes, while reflections on the ATLAS project and the “Invisible Cities” exhibition showcase collaborative approaches to connectivity and urbanism across North Africa and southern Spain.  Complementing the African focus, our Off-Topic section tackles broader disciplinary concerns: the limits of citation metrics, academic responsibility amid political crisis, and the epistemological foundations of archaeology. Together, these contributions reaffirm archaeology’s entanglement with the ethical and political urgencies of the present.