Peer review, i.e. the institutionalized evaluation of scholars and their outputs by others working in the same field, is fundamental to knowledge production and research evaluation in the present-day humanities. However, the origins and development of humanities peer review remain remarkably poorly understood, particularly in comparison to the history of peer review in the natural and social sciences. This special issue aims to bridge this knowledge gap by exploring the historical evolution of peer review in humanities disciplines such as history, theology, philosophy, musicology, and linguistics. It seeks to uncover the diverse forms of humanities peer review that have existed throughout history, extending beyond currently dominant practices of academic peer review. By starting to explore the global historical context of peer review in the humanities and by situating this history alongside the history of scientific peer review, this special issue offers valuable insights for historians and sociologists interested in academic evaluation, quality control, and gatekeeping. Additionally, by revealing the broad spectrum of evaluative practices that have historically been employed within the humanities, it opens up new perspectives that have the potential to inspire the present and future of peer review across the humanities and sciences.