Study Dates Greek Neolithic Site to Exact Year, Offers Promise for Cypriot Archaeology

In a remarkable feat of archaeological science, researchers have pinpointed the age of an ancient Greek settlement down to the exact year, opening up exciting possibilities for the field of archaeology, including here in Cyprus.

Tree Ring Analysis and Radiocarbon Dating

The study [1], recently published in the journal Nature Communications, focused on the Neolithic site of Dispilio in northern Greece. By analyzing tree rings and radiocarbon in preserved wood from the site, the international team of scientists was able to date the final ring of a 303-year-old juniper tree to precisely 5140 BC. This makes Dispilio the first European Neolithic site to be dated with such calendar-year precision.

While archaeologists have previously used a combination of tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) and radiocarbon dating to determine exact years for some more recent sites, this is the first time the technique has been successfully applied to a settlement as old as Dispilio.

The key was identifying a telltale spike in atmospheric radiocarbon levels that occurred in 5259 BC, as recorded in the tree rings.

Solar Events

These spikes, known as Miyake events, are thought to be caused by solar proton events - large eruptions from the sun that bombard Earth with energetic particles, causing a sharp rise in the production of radiocarbon in the upper atmosphere. By locating the 5259 BC Miyake event in four different juniper wood samples from Dispilio and counting the subsequent tree rings, the researchers were able to confidently assign the date of 5140 BC to the site's final construction phase.

Implications for Cyprus

But the implications of this dating breakthrough go far beyond just one site. Dispilio's precise calendar-year chronology can now serve as an anchor point for synchronizing and refining timelines across the wider region. Given the extensive trade networks and cultural contacts that existed in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean during the Neolithic and Bronze Age, this could help archaeologists develop a more accurate and unified chronology for the entire region, including Cyprus.

Cyprus, with its wealth of prehistoric sites, is well-positioned to benefit from these advances in archaeological dating. Some of the most important Cypriot Neolithic sites, such as Khirokitia, Kalavasos-Tenta, and Ayios Epiktitos-Vrysi, have been extensively excavated and studied. However, refining their chronology has always been a challenge. Radiocarbon dating, while invaluable, has limitations in terms of precision due to factors like plateaus in the calibration curve. Dendrochronology, which can provide exact calendar dates, requires a continuous sequence of tree rings extending back from the present, something that is quite rare.

If a site could be found with a preserved sequence of tree rings that overlap with an already dated floating chronology from the mainland, it could allow that chronology to be anchored in real calendar years.

The prospect of identifying one of the Miyake events, like the 5259 BC or 7176 BC spikes, directly in Cypriot tree rings, is very enticing. While this would require immense luck in terms of preservation and sampling, if achieved it would be an archaeological and scientific marvel.

Building Phases and Climate

Calendar-year dating is not the only useful aspect of the Dispilio study for Cypriot archaeology.

The researchers were also able to use the tree ring data to reconstruct building phases at the site with a high degree of precision, identifying periods of construction, repair, and possible abandonment.

Given Cyprus's architectural traditions involving timber - seen for example in the wattle and daub structures of Khirokitia - applying these dendrochronological approaches could yield new insights into the timescales and dynamics of Cyprus's prehistoric built environment.

The Dispilio tree rings also provide a window into past climate conditions, exhibiting compressed growth during a suspected dry period in the late 54th century BC. This shows the potential for archaeological tree rings to act as an environmental proxy, something that could be immensely valuable in reconstructing Cyprus's climatic and ecological past, a topic that is not often discussed. The island's environment has been a crucial factor shaping its culture and economy throughout history, from the distribution of arable land to the feasibility of seafaring and the construction of settlements.

This groundbreaking study hopefully has much to offer Cypriot archaeology. It demonstrates the growing power of archaeological science to wring new knowledge from ancient organic remains, to achieve chronological precision previously thought impossible, and to place human stories within a wider environmental context. With Cyprus's rich prehistoric heritage and strong tradition of archaeological research, there is every reason to hope and expect that the island will be at the forefront of realizing this potential in the years to come. Not only could this change our understanding of Cyprus's past, but it could transform how we understand the development of Neolithic and Bronze Age societies across the Eastern Mediterranean.