Norwegian conifer chronologies constructed to date historical timber

Abstract

Tree-ring chronologies have been constructed for Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) from central Norway (Trøndelag), west Norway and south-east Norway back to 552, 765 and 871, respectively. The purpose was to enable the dendrochronological dating of medieval and post-medieval timber constructions and other wooden artefacts, and this proved to be possible. Absolute dates of floating chronologies based on medieval building material from urban excavations in Trondheim, Bergen and Oslo were also obtained. In northern Norway, samples taken from recently living Scots pines in Troms have enabled the construction of a chronology back to 1294. Chronologies based on samples taken from timber constructions built of Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) have been constructed for central Norway (Trøndelag) and outer Oslofjord back to 1351 and 1466, respectively. Historical events have influenced the availability of building timber. Although much material is available from the early and post-medieval periods, hardly any constructions have been found dating from an approximately 60-year period after the Black Death in 1349–1350. The various regional chronologies based on Scots pine have a matching tree-ring pattern with high t values and sign tests at a 99.9% level of significance. The match between Norwegian chronologies and chronologies constructed in Sweden also give high t values and sign tests at a 99.9% level of significance.