Procedencia y uso de madera de pino silvestre y pino laricio en edificios históricos de Castilla y Andalucía

The productive cycle of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) within the medieval Castilian and Andalusian carpentry is here analysed. New criteria to identify both timbers and its dendrochronological date are shown as previous facts to determine their geographical origin. Historical names of these species and other names, such as alerce, with a vague allocation are also studied. Main historical areas of resource and river ways of Tajo and Guadalquivir used to transport the wood (black pine) to interior cities (Sevilla, Toledo, Madrid …) are thus identified. On the other hand, wood’s diversification and its selective use is analysed regarding its resistance value. Availability also determines that a sort of wood becomes fossil-guide (especie-guía), which is proposed as chronological indicator for several periods and constructive contexts. Some timber remains dating to the first millennium are studied in detail. They belong to the Mosque of Cordoba and four early medieval churches sited in the Duero valley (La Nave, Baños, Quintanilla and Barriosuso). The empiric dating and analysis of this material offer a post quem chronology for the building of these churches and new facts about the distribution of theses wood’s species in the north-western Iberian peninsula.Se realiza un recorrido a través del ciclo constructivo de las maderas de pino silvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.) y pino laricio (Pinus nigra Arn.) en el ámbito de la carpintería medieval de Castilla y Andalucía. Nuevos criterios para diferenciar las dos especies de madera y su datación dendrocronológica, son aportados como datos previos para determinar el origen geográfico del material. Son objeto de discusión los nombres históricos de estas especies y otras voces, como alerce, que tienen una imprecisa asignación. Se identifican así las principales áreas históricas de aprovechamiento y las vías fluviales del Tajo y Guadalquivir utilizadas para el abastecimiento de madera de pino laricio a poblaciones del interior peninsular (Sevilla, Toledo, Madrid, etc.). Por otra parte, se analizan la diversificación de maderas y su uso selectivo en función del valor resistente de cada especie. Así mismo, las condiciones de disponibilidad determinan que un tipo de madera se convierta en fósilguía (especie-guía), que se propone como indicador cronológico de varios periodos y contextos constructivos. Finalmente, se estudian más en detalle restos lígneos del primer milenio de la Era, pertenecientes a la Mezquita de Córdoba y cuatro iglesias altomedievales de la cuenca del Duero (La Nave, Baños, Quintanilla y Barriosuso). La datación empírica y el análisis de este material aportan una cronología post quem de la construcción de estos edificios y también nuevos datos sobre la distribución de estas especies en la región norte de la Península Ibérica

Datación de una viga de la iglesia de San Pedro de la Nave (Zamora)

Churches usually ascribed to the Visigothic period are difficult to place in a clear cultural framework, with the result that other dating methods assume a vital importance. In this study, dendro-chronqlogy, carbon-14 dating, and archaeological evidence combine to give a terminus post quem of AD 330-474 for the pine-trunk employed for the beam of the church of San Pedro de la Nave (''pino albar o laricio''). Given the trunk's completed dendro-chronological sequence of 282 years, the beam in its present location must constitute a case of re-use. At least some of the other elements employed in the construction of the building must also have been re-used. The discussion serves to illustrate how an interdisciplinary approach can be applied to the study of early medieval Spanish churches and how it might be refined to produce ever more reliable and valuable results.Las dudas sobre la adecuada adscripción cultural de las iglesias consideradas de época visigoda, obliga a conseguir dataciones lo más seguras posibles. Por ello se ha realizado este estudio interdisciplinar, que compagina la dendrodatación, la datación por carbono-14 y la arqueología y cuyo resultado data el árbol de pino albar o laricio con el que se talló la viga de la iglesia de S. Pedro de La Nave en una fecha post quem de 330-474 AD (ref. CSIC-1318). Sus caracteres anatómicos nos indican que la secuencia dendrocronológica obtenida de 282 años es completa, por lo que la viga tuvo que ser reutilizada, como debió ocurrir al menos con parte del material de construcción. Los análisis han servido para ensayar la aplicación de esta metodología a las iglesias altomedievales españolas y mejorarla para lograr resultados más fiables y precisos

Swedish oak, planks and panels Dendroarchaeological investigations on the 16th century Evangelistas altarpiece at Seville Cathedral (Spain)

The results of the dendroarchaeological research carried out on the 16th century altarpiece from the Evangelistas chapel at Seville Cathedral (Spain) are presented. The altarpiece consists of nine panels and was commissioned from the Flemish artist Hernando de Esturmio in AD 1553, who signed the completed work in AD 1555. The research aimed at i) registering information about the processing of the wood and panel making, ii) verifying the AD 1555 construction date, and iii) finding out the provenance of the wood.Five panels were selected for this research. The observed technological features allowed the reconstruction of the production process from borne (oak wainscots) to the final product and, based on that, two types of panels were described. Dendrochronological results showed that the wood employed in both types of panels represents a rather homogeneous group, implying that the raw material was probably transported to Seville in the same batch, and was prepared and assembled using slightly different methods to meet the requirements stipulated by the contract. Sapwood was identified in 12 of the 33 researched planks. The most recent tree-ring dates in AD 1549. Using a Bayesian approach, we obtained the combined felling date range AD 1549 to 1554 for six of the trees with a 99.7% confidence level. This would allow for a seasoning time of a couple of weeks up to four years, although we cannot discard that some of the other trees were cut earlier and had longer seasoning periods. Interestingly, our research provides evidence that the wood originated from the southwest of Sweden, representing an alternative source to the south-eastern Baltic oak commonly used for panel paintings in northern Europe in the 16th century. This is the first time that such procurement source is reported by dendrochronology in an altarpiece. Wood technological features of the planks and panels are compared to those of Baltic oak wainscots and to contemporary altarpieces in Spain and Portugal. Possible reasons for the use of this alternative procurement source are discussed. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd

Datación de una viga de la iglesia de San Pedro de la Nave (Zamora)

Churches usually ascribed to the Visigothic period are difficult to place in a clear cultural framework, with the result that other dating methods assume a vital importance. In this study, dendro-chronqlogy, carbon-14 dating, and archaeological evidence combine to give a terminus <em>post quem</em> of AD 330-474 for the pine-trunk employed for the beam of the church of San Pedro de la Nave (''<em>pino albar o laricio</em>''). Given the trunk's completed dendro-chronological sequence of 282 years, the beam in its present location must constitute a case of re-use. At least some of the other elements employed in the construction of the building must also have been re-used. The discussion serves to illustrate how an interdisciplinary approach can be applied to the study of early medieval Spanish churches and how it might be refined to produce ever more reliable and valuable results.<br><br>Las dudas sobre la adecuada adscripción cultural de las iglesias consideradas de época visigoda, obliga a conseguir dataciones lo más seguras posibles. Por ello se ha realizado este estudio interdisciplinar, que compagina la dendrodatación, la datación por carbono-14 y la arqueología y cuyo resultado data el árbol de pino albar o laricio con el que se talló la viga de la iglesia de S. Pedro de La Nave en una fecha <em>post quem</em> de 330-474 AD (ref. CSIC-1318). Sus caracteres anatómicos nos indican que la secuencia dendrocronológica obtenida de 282 años es completa, por lo que la viga tuvo que ser reutilizada, como debió ocurrir al menos con parte del material de construcción. Los análisis han servido para ensayar la aplicación de esta metodología a las iglesias altomedievales españolas y mejorarla para lograr resultados más fiables y precisos

Tree-rings, forest history and cultural heritage Current state and future prospects of dendroarchaeology in the Iberian Peninsula

We review the current state of dendroarchaeology in the Iberian Peninsula and discuss its potential, outlining the particular relevance and complexity of this territory and its material heritage for dendroarchaeological studies. Whereas dendrochronology is used throughout the rest of Europe to answer questions about cultural heritage, the application of dendroarchaeology in the Iberian Peninsula has been remarkably underrepresented in comparison to dendroecology and dendroclimatology. Existing tree-ring chronologies in this territory have a widespread geographical coverage, but are often too short to allow dendroarchaeological studies, resulting in inadequate assessments of material heritage made of wood in and originating from the Iberian Peninsula. However, different studies have demonstrated that dendroarchaeology has a great potential in the area. This review illustrates the rich variety of Iberian material heritage from different periods and cultures covering over 8000 years that could profit from dendrochronological research. Future research possibilities in relation to the available Iberian heritage in Spain, Portugal and worldwide are proposed. © 2015