Dendrochronology

Dendrochronology dates wood and reconstructs past environmental conditions by matching patterns of annual tree rings. It can assign calendar years to wood from living trees, buildings, and archaeological remains.

Cross-dating: A method that matches patterns in overlapping records to establish the calendar dates of their sequences. Matching distinctive ring-width sequences is the core method for dating wood.
Radiocarbon calibration: The conversion of radiocarbon measurements into calendar-date estimates using reference records. Tree-ring dates provide a precise calibration record for radiocarbon ages.
Vascular cambium: A layer of dividing cells in woody plants that produces new xylem and phloem. Its seasonal activity produces the wood layers measured in ring analysis.
Hohenheim Tree-Ring Chronology: A long European oak and pine chronology assembled at the University of Hohenheim. It provides a major reference sequence for dating European wood.
Tree ring: A layer of wood produced during one growing season in many temperate trees. Its width and structure provide the annual measurements used in dating.
Archaeological dating: The use of evidence and methods to establish when archaeological materials or events occurred. Dendrochronology can give wooden structures and artifacts exact construction dates.
Secondary growth: The increase in a plant's thickness through the production of secondary tissues. Tree rings are records of this outward growth in woody stems.
Irish oak chronology: A long sequence of dated Irish oak rings used in archaeological and climate research. Its overlap with other chronologies helps extend the European dating framework.
Master chronology: A reference sequence built by combining dated records that overlap in time. It extends a tree-ring record beyond the lifespan of any single tree.
Dendroarchaeology: The study of archaeological wood through tree-ring dating and analysis. It applies ring sequences to buildings, artifacts, and other archaeological timber.

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