Dendrochronology and archival texts: Dating the Ottoman fortress of Seddülbahir on the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey*

Abstract

This paper provides the results of the dendrochronological analyses of seven wood samples from the Ottoman fortress of Seddülbahir on the Gallipoli Peninsula or Turkey. It concludes that the trees were cut in the late spring of 1656. The data collected allows the first building phase of the fortress to be securely dated. By bringing together the dendrochronological results with various archival records about the fortress, a more precise building chronology for the fortress can be reconstructed. The probable initial period of construction was between 1656 and 1661.

Tree-Ring Dating of Turkish Musical Instruments

“…Such an interesting blend of the European and Turkish musical culture was the basis for not only cultural, but also economic and commercial exchanges, involving the best wood for construction of musical instruments. As is well known, the trade in construction timber from various European countries to Turkey was common during the Ottoman period (Kuniholm 2000; Akkemik et al 2020), and the import of wood for violin making took place via the same trading routes.…”