Europe’s forest resources north of the Alps were used intensively during antiquity. Timber use in the area between the Alps and the Atlantic intensified particularly during the Roman period (approximately 1st century BCE to 5th century CE), as shown by a study published under the title “Woodlands of Antiquity: A millennium of dendrochronological data on forest exploitation and timber economy between the Alps and the Atlantic” in the renowned journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). An international research team led by Dr Bernhard Muigg (Chair of Forestry History at the University of Freiburg, Germany) collected over 20,000 absolutely dated wooden finds from antiquity in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The wide geographical distribution of the finds across western and central Europe reveals regional differences as well as supraregional developments. The long period under consideration ranges from the Late Iron Age (La Tène period) to the early Middle Ages and allows diachronic comparisons of pre-Roman, Roman, and post-Roman developments in the period 300 BCE to 700 CE. The University of Cologne’s Laboratory of Dendrochronology, headed by Dr Thorsten Westphal, contributed significantly to the study.
The woodlands north of the Alps were already heavily exploited in pre-Roman times. However, the data show that during the Roman occupation, relatively old forest stands were mostly used as a source of timber. The researchers explain this with improved transport infrastructure and organization, which allowed the exploitation of previously unused forests. From the 3rd century CE onwards, the average tree age decreases noticeably, which may indicate overuse of local forests. This interpretation is supported by the simultaneous disappearance of very old trees (200+ years old). However, political crises in the empire during this period also become evident: detailed examination of the finds of wooden barrels and coniferous woods in combination indicates a decline in trade and (wood) transport. For late antiquity (approximately late 3rd to 5th century CE), the data replication is poor across regions. However, the germination phases of very old trees felled in early medieval times (6th/7th century) provide indirect evidence of reforestation in late antiquity.
The results of the study confirm the extensive anthropogenic transformation of forest landscapes during antiquity. The new study deepens the understanding of the environmental and socio-economic consequences of Roman imperial expansion and provides critical insights into the long-term interplay between human activity and forest dynamics in European Antiquity. The collected data are an important addition to interdisciplinary research on antiquity and will be available to experts for further investigation after publication.
Media Contact:
Dr Thorsten Westphal
Laboratory of Dendrochronology, Department of Prehistoric Archaeology
+49 221 470 5853
+49 221 16 84 21 62
thorsten.westphal(at)uni-koeln(dot)de
Press and Communications Team:
Eva Schissler
+49 221 470 4030
e.schissler(at)verw.uni-koeln(dot)de
Publication:
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2516240122