CYPRUS DENDROCHRONOLOGY LABORATORY

The Cyprus Dendrochronology Lab was established in 2019 as a part of the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Labs (APAC) of the Cyprus Institute. The establishment of a dedicated lab to dendrochronology in the context of APAC Labs/STARC builds on years of previous collaboration with the Cornell Tree-Ring Laboratory. Being a joint effort by CyI, the Department of Antiquities, the Department of Forests and the Cornell Tree-Ring Laboratory, our specialized lab pursues dendrochronological research in Cyprus and the region. Our work concentrates on the study of the remains of wooden heritage but also provides data related to past environmental and climate conditions as they relate to the history of the island’s forests. As a primary pilot study, research focused on the Troodos Painted Churches.

The dendrochronological survey of their iconic roofs, structural remains and furnishings will help revisit their chronologies in their environmental contexts. This effort was awarded three grants: TREE Excellence Hub- Research and Innovation Foun-dation/ RIF (CY), Dumbarton Oaks and National Endowment for the Humanities (US). A research highlight has been the dendrochronological survey of the wooden door of the Paphos Gate in Nicosia, which provided unexpected results that contribute to the history of the Venetian walls of Nicosia. Similarly, the survey of the Dragoman’s House in Nicosia has shed light to the provenance of the wood used in its construction. Furthermore, the analysis of icons and wooden frames of paintings provides invaluable insights regarding the chronology as well as the materiality and provenance of works of art. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the laboratory’s non-invasive applications have been included in the Mobile Lab of the IPERION HS project as a European resource.

The research focuses on three thematic areas: Art History, Archaeology, Climatology (in collaboration with the Cyprus Department of Forestry). Cyprus Dendrochronology Laboratory (CDL) of APAC Labs is equipped with on-site data collection tools, including dry wood borers, electronic sanders, a digital scanner, and pull saws. Also, CDL's in-lab facilities allow researchers to record and analyze tree rings through CDendro, CooRecorder, and TSAP-Win programs. The laboratory's non-invasive applications have been included in the Mobile Lab of the IPERION HS project as a European resource. 

Field Equipment
•    Rinn core drills
•    Makita driller
•    AEG driller
•    Milwaukee orbital sander
•    AEG palm sander
•    Japanese pull saws

Laboratory Facilities
•   EPSON Perfection V600 scanner

•   Nikon Eclipse Ci, Upright Clinical Microscope with Optika microscope camera

•    Analytical Softwares
              -TSAP-Win 
              -CDendro
              -CooRecorder