Peter Ian Kuniholm

Professor, History of Art & Archaeology
Director, Aegean Dendrochronology Project

B-48 Goldwin Smith Hall (Laboratory) 607/255-8650

135 Goldwin Smith Hall (Office) 607/255-9732
e-mail: peter@dendro.mail.cornell.edu

A.B. English, Brown University, 1958;
A.M. English, Vanderbilt University, 1963;
Ph.D. Classical Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania, 1977

Selected Bibliography

The Aegean Dendrochronology Project

Few archaeological problems stimulate as much rancor as chronology, especially that of the Eastern Mediterranean. The work of the Aegean Dendrochronology Project has been for 30 years and continues to be the building of long tree-ring chronologies for the Eastern half of the Mediterranean with the aim of helping to bring some kind of rational order to Aegean and Near Eastern chronology from the Neolithic to the present.

Since 1973, when the project began as a one-man Ph.D. dissertation enterprise in the basement of the Ankara Museum, to this semester where 16 of us are at work in the basement of Goldwin Smith Hall at Cornell University, our principal focus has expanded from a study of Iron Age conifers in Phrygia and the Anatolian highlands to a larger, much broader scope. This focus now involves the building of tree-ring chronologies for a number of species of trees spread over the Eastern Mediterranean from Georgia on the fringe of the Caucasus to selected parts of Italy, from the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus and the cedars of north Lebanon to trees growing in the former Yugoslavia and parts of Bulgaria. This includes all of Turkey and all of Greece including Crete.

The reason dendrochronology works in such a broad geographical zone is simple: in addition to micro-climatic zones such as those in central Anatolia, several of the coastal regions, the Taurus, the Pontus, and so forth, there is also a macro-climatic zone (or a set of overlapping micro-zones) which enables us to crossdate wood over great distances. The utility of the dendrochronological method in the Mediterranean is thereby greatly increased over what it would be if it were confined to a small area in the central part of Anatolia. Since modern cedars at Bcharré, North Lebanon, crossdate with cedars and junipers in Anatolia, we are not surprised to find that Bronze Age cedar and juniper imported to Egypt from the Lebanon also crossdate with their Bronze Age Anatolian counterparts.

So far, more than 10 million tree-ring measurements have led to the successful compilation of chronologies covering (but not wholly covering) 9,000 years. Our aim is to fill in the gaps. See our bargraph (in PDF format) to get an idea of the time periods covered. The most difficult periods for us are the first half millennium B.C. and the first half millennium A.D.

Please see our annual reports for specifics to fill out these numbers.

Selected Bibliography for the Aegean Dendrochronology Project

Caveat! Please note that the publications we have on-line appear as they were published, or as close to that state as is practical. Nothing has been brought up-to-date, and since dates do occasionally change with the accumulation of new data, items published some time ago may not convey our latest, most up-to-date thoughts on a given site.

"Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700-1400 B.C."

by S. W. Manning, C. Bronk Ramsey, W.Kutschera, T. Higham, B. Kromer, P. Steier, E. M. Wild, in Science, Vol. 312 (28 April 2006) pp. 565-569. An abstract of the article is also available. From this page, one is able to navigate the Science home page.

Gordion Tree-Ring Measurements

recently posted on the International Tree-Ring Data Bank, a repository of raw ring width measurements, wood density measurements, and site chronologies maintained by the NOAA Paleoclimatology Program and World Data Center for Paleoclimatology. An explanatory note from P. I. Kuniholm discusses the specific Gordion tree-ring measurements posted.

"Dendrochronology and Radiocarbon Determinations from Assiros and the Beginning of the Greek Iron Age"

M. W. Newton, K. A. Wardle, P. I. Kuniholm, ΤΟ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΟ ΕΡΓΟ ΣΤΗ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗ ΘΡΑΚΗ 17, 2003, a.k.a., the AETΘ Conference, or Conference of Archaeological Research in Macedonia & Thrace, held in Thessaloniki, 2003. Proceedings published in Thessaloniki, 2005, pp.173-190.

"Dendrochronological Dating in Anatolia: The Second Millennium B.C."

Peter I. Kuniholm, Maryanne W. Newton, Carol B. Griggs, & Pamela J. Sullivan, Der Anschnitt, Anatolian Metal III, Beiheft 18, 2005, pp. 41-47.

"A Dendrochronological Framework for the Assyrian Colony Period in Asia Minor"

Maryanne W. Newton & Peter I. Kuniholm, TÜBA-AR (Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi), vol. 7 (2004) pp. 165-176.

"New dates for Iron Age Gordion"

K. De Vries, P. I. Kuniholm, G. K. Sams, & M. M. Voigt, Antiquity (June 2003) v.77, no 296.

"Confirmation of near-absolute dating of east Mediterranean Bronze-Iron Dendrochronology"

S. W. Manning, B. Kromer, P. I. Kuniholm, & M. W. Newton, Antiquity (March 2003) v.77, no 295. For supplementary data on this click here.

"Dendrochronological Investigations at Herculaneum and Pompeii"

in W. F. Jashemski and F. G. Meyer, eds., The Natural History of Pompeii, Cambridge University Press (2002) pp. 235-239.

"Archaeological dendrochronology"

a lecture given in honor of Fritz Hans Schweingruber at the Tree Rings and People Conference held in Davos, Switzerland, 2001. Dendrochronologia Vol. 20/1-2 (2002), pp. 63-68.

"No systematic early bias to Mediterranean ¹⁴C ages: Radiocarbon measurements from tree-ring and air samples provide tight limits to age offsets"

S. W. Manning, M. Barbetti, B. Kromer, P. I. Kuniholm, I. Levin, M. W. Newton, P. Reimer, Radiocarbon Vol.44, Number 3 (2002), pp. 739-754.

"Anatolian Tree Rings and a New Chronology for the East Mediterranean Bronze-Iron Ages"

S. W. Manning, B. Kromer, P. I. Kuniholm, M. W. Newton, Science (December 2001) 294:2532-2535.

"Regional¹⁴CO₂ Offsets in the Troposphere: Magnitude, Mechanisms, and Consequences"

B. Kromer, S. W. Manning, P. I. Kuniholm, M. W. Newton, M. Spurk, I. Levin, Science (December 2001) 294:2529-2532.

"A New Twist in the Radiocarbon Tale"

P. J. Reimer, Science (December 2001) 294:2494-2495.

"Aegean Tree-Ring Signatures Explained" (in PDF format).

M. K. Hughes, P. I. Kuniholm, J. Eischeid, G. Garfin, C. B. Griggs, C. Latini. Tree-Ring Research Vol 57:1 (2001) 67-73.

"Dendrochronology and Other Applications of Tree-ring Studies in Archaeology"

The Handbook of Archaeological Sciences, D. R. Brothwell and A. M. Pollard, eds., London, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (2001) pp.35-46.

"Dendrochronology of Panel Paintings"

appendix to W. Stanley Taft and James W. Mayer, The Science of Paintings, Springer Verlag (2000) pp.206-215.

"Scientific Chronology" and "Forestation"

to appear in The Archaeology of Anatolia: an Encyclopedia, Bilkent University Press, forthcoming.

"Dendrochronologically Dated Ottoman Monuments" (in PDF format)

in U. Baram and L. Carroll, eds., A Historical Archaeology of the Ottoman Empire: Breaking New Ground, New York, Plenum Press, 2000, pp.93-136.

"Wiggles Worth Watching--Making Radiocarbon Work: The Case of Çatal Höyük" (in PDF format)

in Meletemata: Studies in Aegean Archaeology Presented to Malcolm H. Wiener, 3 vols. (1999) Liège: Université de Liège (with Maryanne W. Newton) 527-537.

"An Early Bronze Age Settlement at Sozopol, near Burgas, Bulgaria" (in PDF format)

in James Harvey Gaul: In Memoriam, M. Stefanovich, H. Todorova, H. Hauptmann, eds. Sofia: The James Harvey Gaul Foundation (1998), with B. Kromer, S. L. Tarter, and C. B. Griggs, 399-409.

"Çatal Höyük: A Preliminary Report" (in PDF format)

in On the surface: Çatalhöyük 1993-1995, Ian Hodder, ed. BIAA (1997) 345-347. With Maryanne W. Newton.

"Climatology" and "Wood"

in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East, E. M. Myers, ed. Oxford University Press (1997) 37-38 and 347-349.

"Anatolian tree rings and the absolute chronology of the eastern Mediterranean, 2220-718 BC"

P. I. Kuniholm, B. Kromer S. W. Manning, M. W. Newton, C. E. Latini, & M. J. Bruce, Nature vol. 381 (27 June 1996) 780-783. See also Colin Renfrew's commentary "Kings, tree rings and the Old World" in the News and Views section of this same volume.

"The Prehistoric Aegean: Dendrochronological Progress as of 1995"

in Acta Archaeologica 67 (1996) 327-335.

"Long Tree-Ring Chronologies for the Eastern Mediterranean"

in Archaeometry '94: The Proceedings of the 29th International Symposium on Archaeometry, Ş. Demirci, A. M. Özer, and G. D. Summers, eds. (Ankara: TÜBİTAK) (1996) 401-409.

"A 513-Year Buxus Chronology for the Roman Ship at Comacchio (Ferrara)"

Bollettino di Archeologia Soprintendenza Archeologica dell'Emilia-Romagna (16-18 Luglio-Dicembre 1992) (appeared 1995) 291-299 (with C. B. Griggs, S. L. Tarter, and H. E. Kuniholm).

"Dendrochronology"

in Patrick J. McGovern, et al., "Science in Archaeology: A Review," AJA 99:1 (1995) 79-142.

Report on Troy I

included in M. Korfmann and B. Kromer, "Demircihüyük, Beşik-Tepe, Troia--Eine Zwischenbilanz zur Chronologie dreier Orte in Westanatolien," in Manfred Korfmann, et al., Studia Troica III (1994) 135-171.

Ağac Halkalarından Eskiyi Okumak... Dendrokronoloji (links to a PDF file, in Turkish),

in Oybak, Özkan, Kuniholm Bilim ve Teknik August (1994) 26-31.

"Tille Höyük (Adiyaman) Dendrochronological Report"

in G. Summers, ed., Tille Höyük 4 British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara & Oxbow (Oxford) (1993) 179-189 (with S. L. Tarter and C. B. Griggs).

"A Date-List for Bronze Age and Iron Age Monuments Based on Combined Dendrochronological and Radiocarbon Evidence"

Aspects of Art and Iconography: Anatolia and Its Neighbors. Studies in Honor of Nimet Özgüç Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basimevi (1993) 371-373.

"Dendrochronological Investigations at Porsuk/Ulukışla, Turkey 1987-1989"

Syria 69:3/4 (1992) 379-389 (with S. L. Tarter, M. W. Newton, and C. B. Griggs).

"Overview and Assessment of the Evidence for the Date of the Eruption of Thera"

in D. A. Hardy and A. C. Renfrew, eds., Thera and the Aegean World III: Proceedings of the Third International Congress, Santorini, Greece, 3-9 September 1989, Vol. III "Chronology" (London: The Thera Foundation 1990) 13-18.

"A 677 Year Long Tree-Ring Chronology for the Middle Bronze Age"

Anatolia and the Ancient Near East: Studies in Honor of Tahsin Özgüç Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basimevi (1990) 279-293 (with Maryanne W. Newton).

"Dendrochronology and the Architectural History of the Church of the Holy Apostles in Thessaloniki"

Architectura: Zeitschrift für Geschichte der Architektur (1/1990) 1-26 (with C. L. Striker).

"The archaeological record: evidence and non-evidence for climatic change"

in S. K. Runcorn and J. -C. Pecker, eds., The Earth's Climate and Variability of the Sun Over Recent Millennia, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A (1990) 645-655.

"Dendrochronological Investigations in the Aegean and Neighboring Regions, 1983-1986"

Journal of Field Archaeology 14:4 (1987) 385-398 (with C. L. Striker).

"Demircihüyük - Dendrochronological Analysis"

in M. Korfmann, ed., Demircihüyük II Mainz, von Zabern (1987) 1-4.

"Dendrochronological Analysis of the Elaia Tumulus Kline"

Istanbuler Mitteilungen 35 (1985) 168-182, Taf. 37.

"Δενδροχρονολογηση: Μια Τεχνικη Χρησιμη Στη Μελετη Του Οικολογικου Παρελθοντοσ"

ΔΑΣΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ, 25:3/4 (March/April 1982) pp. 85-94. ["Dendrochronology: a useful technique for studying the ecology of the past," in Dasika Chronika or Forest Chronicle: Journal of the Greek Forestry Service, translated into Greek by K. A. Kassio.]

"The Fishing Gear" and "Dendrochronological Analysis of the Keel"

in G. F. Bass, et al., Yassı Ada I: A Seventh-Century Byzantine Shipwreck. College Station: Texas A & M University Press (1982) 291-310 and Appendix D.

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