UK Tree Care - http://www.oak-wood.co.uk/uktc/
The reports here in the NY Times did not mention the reconstruction. What
they did detail which was quite fascinating was that by combining
radio-carbon dating and dendrochronologoical analysis using Bayesian
statistical techniques they were able to date the site to within about two
years.
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Skellern <skellern@xxxxxxxxxx.co.uk>
To: UK Tree Care <uktc@xxxxxxxx.com>
Date: Monday, January 03, 2000 7:01 AM
Subject: TimeTeam
UK Tree Care - http://www.oak-wood.co.uk/uktc/
Did anyone see the Channel 4 Time Team episode last Wednesday following the
excavation of Sea Henge in Norfolk? For those that didn't, the program
followed the excavation process of the remainder of the mostly submerged
timbers from out of the sand.
Then true to Time Team style, the program followed the making of a Sea
Henge reconstruction using freshly cut Oak trees. There excuse for the
felling of around 20 semi-mature trees was that it was part of a woodland
thinning process - maybe that's true, I suspect its a handy excuse.
However,
the part that annoyed me was the felling of a hundred year old oak which
was
needed to form the centre of the monument. In my mind there was no excuse
for felling this as part of woodland thinning, but I might be wrong. This
large tree was felled at around 2m above ground level, with the remaining
stem and root pulled out of the ground with a tractor. The final degrading
insult to a hundred year old Oak was submerging the cut stem upside down a
meter or so into the ground at the centre of the monument, so as to form
some kind of root alter. I am sure that a wind blown tree of similar
dimensions could have been found for this purpose.
This all took place in a field and ended up as a central root alter
surrounded by a wall of small split Oak stems. The monument was supposed to
be constructed using tools of that time period (i.e. bronze age axes) so it
was amusing to see the chainsaws come out after the felling of 2 Oaks!
Anyway, in case you are interested Channel 4 are showing a documentary
tonight 7.30pm on the oldest living organism in the world, the 4643 year
old Bristlecone Pine!
Chris Skellern.
Trunkline : http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~skellern/
AIE: http://www.skellern.fsnet.co.uk/
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