Course Description
Practical training in tree-ring research methods, including field collection, sample preparation, tree-ring measurement, dating, and analysis, using both modern forest and archaeological and heritage wood samples in the UGA Tree-Ring and Wood Analysis Lab collections. Includes potential field trips to local forests and wooden cultural heritage sites.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students are expected to do additional research and incorporate analysis of a larger set of primary tree-ring data for their final oral project presentations.
Athena Title
Dendrochronology Lab
Undergraduate Pre or Corequisite
ANTH 4035/6035
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Practice and develop skills in selecting, collecting, and preparing wood samples for dendrochronological analysis. 2. Practice and develop skills in identifying and measuring tree-rings using different measuring equipment and techniques. 3. Develop basic skills in identifying wood cellular structures and components for wood identification and interpreting sample growth environment and history. 4. Compare and contrast wood from different types of cultural and environmental contexts, and how wood use and taphonomy impact collection, preparation, and analysis methods. 5. Practice and develop analytical skills and strategies in dendrochronological cross-dating and chronology building. 6. Explore preparation and analytical methods used for collecting data from wood chemistry (stable isotopes and radiocarbon) for dating and paleoenvironmental studies. 7. Analyze and interpret dendrochronological data for use in dating cultural heritage materials and climate analysis.
Topical Outline
1. Basic tree stem and tree-ring structure 2. Wood anatomy 1: basic cellular structure of conifers and angiosperms 3. Wood anatomy 2: Injuries, anatomical features, and growth responses to climate and environment 4. Dry wood core preparation: mounting and polishing 5. Tree-ring measurement from scanned images: conifers 6. Tree-ring measurement from scanned images: ring-porous angiosperms 7. Tree-ring measurement from scanned images: diffuse porous angiosperms 8. Tree-ring measurement with a microscope and measuring table 9. Measuring sections: selecting and combining measurement radii 10. Waterlogged wood from maritime contexts 11. Wood charcoal from archaeological contexts 12. Methods in wood stable isotope preparation and analysis 13. Bayesian modeling and radiocarbon wiggle-matching tree-rings 14. Statistical cross-dating and chronology building 15. Assessing tree-ring responses to climate for paleoclimate reconstruction 16. Synthesizing and interpreting dendrochronological data from heritage contexts