Density Analysis and Carbon Age Estimation of Taiwan Cypress Burl Wood Figure

Abstract

This study used Soft X-ray image analysis and radiocarbon dating (14C dating) to analyze the density and estimate carbon age (14C age) of Taiwan cypress burl wood figures (BWFs). The densities of waterripple, sliver-ripple, peanut-like, phoenix tail-like, nail-like, and thorn-like burl figures were 0.64, 0.68, 0.73, 0.71, 0.93, and 0.86 g/cm 3 , respectively, which were higher than both of Chamaecyparis formosensis (0.50 g/cm 3 ) and Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana (0.54 g/cm 3 ). Physical organizational changes, cellular morphology, orientation of wood, and the amount of chemical substance (inclusion) might be related to BWF density variations. Both sides of a bright band or adjacent surfaces had different densities due to tracheid pattern differences. The higher nail dot density was supposed to be related to the inclusion. The 14C ages of water-ripple, sliver-ripple, peanut-like, phoenix tail-like, nail-like, and thorn-like burl figures were about 382, 180, 480, 342, 173, and 277 BP, respectively, meaning the precedence order of 14C ages of various BWFs might not be related to the complexity or density of BWF patterns. In addition to the time course, the formation of BWF patterns was related to the physical organizational or chemical substance changes, such as the cellular morphology, arrangement, or amount of inclusion of wood.