Turkish Tree Ring Chronology from 260 to 42 BCE

Tree ring width measurements from the Kars Sarikamis region of Turkey, spanning 302 years from 260 to 42 BCE. The dataset was archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology and originates from a study by Kuniholm. It was last updated in the NOAA system in 1992.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies for Turkey by analyzing annual tree ring width variations.
• Cross-date archaeological wood samples from the region using the established PISY (likely Pinus sylvestris) tree ring chronology.
• Calibrate climate models for the Eastern Mediterranean by comparing the 302-year ring width record with other proxy data.
• Study the frequency of extreme climatic events, such as droughts, indicated by sequences of narrow rings in the time-series.

Strengths

• Covers a 302-year continuous time period from 260 to 42 BCE.
• Sourced from the authoritative NOAA/NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
• Provides a geographically specific record for the Kars Sarikamis region in Turkey.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to a single 302-year block, not a long, modern chronology.
• Data is from 1992, lacking recent updates or potential methodological revisions.
• Sample size, replication, and species details are unknown from the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.

Collection Method

Tree ring measurements, likely from Pinus sylvestris (PISY).

Time Range

260 to -42 calendar years BP (Before Present, where 0 BP = 1950 CE), equivalent to 260 BCE to 42 BCE.

Freshness

Last updated in system on 1992-01-01.

Geography

Kars Sarikamis, Turkey, Western Asia.