Anatolian Tree Rings and a New Chronology for the East Mediterranean Bronze-Iron Ages

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We selected 2 trees of the 41 trees recorded and cross-dated at the Midas Mound Tumulus at Gordion, which comprise a total chronology of 918 years: GOR-3 (Juniperus excelsa), covering relative rings 999–1764, and GOR-2 (J. foetidissima), covering relative rings 1279–1654. We also used one tree, GOR-161 (J. excelsa), from the nearby Kizlarkaya Tumulus, covering relative rings 739–1599. The total Gordion area chronology comprises 1026 years. Trees GOR-3 and GOR-161 overlap for 601 years and yield a t score correlation of 8.52, with the two trees reflecting in common 60.3% of all growth trends over the 601 years of overlap. The radiocarbon data comprise (i) 22 measurements from consecutive decades over 220 years centered on relative rings 777 to 987, referred to as the Gordion Old set; and (ii) 30 measurements from decades over 440 years, centered on relative rings 1325 to 1754, referred to as the Gordion Young set (nonavailability of sufficient good sample material dictated that this latter set could not be from entirely consecutive decades). The Gordion Young set incorporates and revises the section measured previously (13 of the previous 18 measurements are reused and are regarded as technically satisfactory; the remainder are revised with new measurements) (Fig. 1).

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. We used version 3.5 (2000) of the OxCal software, with resolution = 1.

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The basic date fix has an approximate 2σ range of +2/–5 years (the 3σ 99.7% confidence range is only slightly larger: for example, relative ring 777 lies between 1734–1722 B.C., when all data are used minus relative rings 1714–1754). However, in addition to these uncertainties, we should also allow for potential decade mismatching (dated decade versus calibration decade). If one considers the annual radiocarbon data in (7) in terms of a moving decade age for the available continuous annual data sets before bomb activity [decades centered 1520–1529 to 1630–1639 and 1800–1809 to 1930–1939 (other decade intervals between these lack data for at least one individual year)], then a worst case offset of ±2 calendar years is determined with OxCal and the INTCAL98 data set, whether for the individual 12 and 14 decade or combined 26 decade series. Hence, we allow an additional ±2 calendar year error to our best fit date in the text; thus relative ring 777 = 1727 +4/–7 B.C.

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The date is derived from the correlation of Šamši-Adad I, year 33 as king of Assyria (his year of death), which equals his year minimum of 57 as king, with year 17 of Hammurapi of Babylon, proposed by D. Charpin and J.-M. Durand [Mari: Ann. Rech. Interdisciplinaires 4, 293 (1985)]. The possible correlation range is between Hammurapi year 10 (the last Babylonian date on which Šamši-Adad I was attested as alive) and Hammurapi year 18 (accession of Zimri-Lim of Mari, with the death of Šamši-Adad I known to be previous to this). Thus, the dates for Šamši-Adad I in the text have a total error range of +7/–1 years. A recently recognized solar eclipse record in the Mari Eponym Chronicle occurs the year after the birth of Šamši-Adad I (became a king at age 18) (39). In conjunction with the new revised dendrochronological date fixes for Kültepe and Acemhöyük, this may allow a likely precise date range to be interpolated for Šamši-Adad I. Among other possible candidates, a prominent total eclipse of 1832 B.C. (39) is perhaps an interesting candidate; this would support a chronology in the range of, but some 13 to 17 years [compare data in (24) and (39)] lower than, the classic Middle Chronology.

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A variety of published dendrochronologically derived dates based on previous work (4) now require revision upward by 22 +4/–7 years. For example, of relevance to discussions of the Bronze Age–Iron Age transition, cutting dates for timbers in Late Bronze Age levels at Tille Höyük (40) are now ca. 1123 +4/–7 B.C., and cutting dates for timbers from early Iron Age levels at Kaman-Kalehöyük (IID) (41) range from ca. 949 +4/–7 B.C. to ca. 884 +4/–7 B.C. Caution should be exercised concerning a previously stated date derived from just two poorly preserved pieces of cargo/dunnage wood from the famous Uluburun shipwreck (4, 29). The quality and security of the dendrochronological placement of these samples versus the Bronze-Iron master chronology are not especially strong. If the fit is confirmed, the last preserved ring would now lie ca. 1327 +4/–7 B.C. This would confirm the conventional chronology of ancient Egypt, because the presence of a gold scarab of Nefertiti on the ship requires her standard mid–14th century B.C. data range.

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We thank M. G. L. Baillie, M. J. Bruce, J. Chiment, A. Çilingiroğlu, C. U. Hammer, K. B. Harris, C. Bronk Ramsey, R. S. J. Sparks, and M. H. Wiener for discussion and information; and the two anonymous Science reviewers. Funded principally by the Institute for Aegean Prehistory and also supported by NSF, the Malcolm H. Wiener Foundation, and the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences.