Absolute Dating of Monoxylous Boats from Northern Italy

Abstract

Twelve monoxylous boats were analyzed from different provinces of northern Italy by radiocarbon and dendrodating. Most of them were dated in the range 6th-12th centuries cal AD. All boats were made from single tree trunks containing ~50 to ~250 tree rings. The results from archaeometric dating in logboats confirm that these kinds of vessels remained practically unchanged for centuries and were in use until recently. The technical features are more strictly related to local traditions than to chronology.