The History of Dendrochronology and Radiocarbon Calibration

Abstract

The field of dendrochronology has developed during the first decades of this century. Tree-ring dating was the only method of precise age determination until the 1950s, when the radiocarbon dating method was developed. It is a fascinating chapter in the history of research to observe the immediate interdisciplinary cooperation between tree-ring dating and radiocarbon dating that started in the 1950s and continues up to this day with increasing importance. This chapter presents a brief historical overview of the development of superlong Holocene tree-ring calendars and the calibration of the radiocarbon time scale derived from tree-ring measurements, with a synopsis of the actual stage of research.