MVAC Research Intern Cindy Kocik discusses dendrochronology (tree-ring dating). This technique provides an effective and accurate tool for archaeologists to date wood objects and structures. Dendrochronology involves observing and analyzing patterns in the widths of annual tree-rings. When these patterns match with calendar-dated wood specimens, a process called crossdating, it becomes possible to assign a calendar year to each growth ring. The years of the outermost rings, the last the tree grew, can then aid in determining construction dates, as shown here with a case study from New York State. Analyses can also offer insight into where the trees the wood came from originally grew, climate trends, and the timing of ecological events like forest fires.
-Flotation: Step by Step – MVAC Lab – MVAC Video on YouTube showing how archaeologists process soil samples to recover charred plant remains, as well as bones and artifacts: [ Ссылка ]
-Flotation: The Basics – MVAC Lab – a shorter version of the flotation video covering the fundamentals of the method: [ Ссылка ]
-Sand Lake Archaeological District – MVAC Video on YouTube in which Dr. Connie Arzigian highlights the multiyear project, including the investigation of ridged fields, at this important group of Indigenous archaeological sites near La Crosse: [ Ссылка ]
References
-Kocik, Cynthia A.
2017 The Edges of Wood: Dendrochronological Analysis of Three Seneca Iroquois Log Structures at Letchworth State Park, New York. Historical Archaeology 51:194-217.
-Speer, James H.
2010 Fundamentals of Tree-Ring Research. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.
Artifact Identification
Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse works mainly in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa and can provide information related to that region. If you would like information on artifacts, email a description of the item and where it was found, and attach a picture of the artifact with a scale to show its size. For more information visit MVAC’s website at: [ Ссылка ].
For information on other regions, we suggest contacting the appropriate state archaeologist from the following list: [ Ссылка ].
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