Overview of Dendrochronology 2 in Limoges (conference, October 2025)

Co-written by Mélanie Saulnier

Published on May 26, 2026 – Updated on May 26, 2026

What is dendrochronology? It is the discipline that studies variations in the width of tree growth rings. These variations depend on the climate, as well as local and individual factors. A long series of rings is unique and bears witness to the tree’s living conditions at a given time. Dendrochronology makes it possible to date the formation of each ring, once synchronisation has taken place. It has applications in archaeology, ecology, geomorphology, glaciology, climatology, etc.

A first edition in 2009

Sixteen years ago, from 8 to 10 October 2009, the conference entitled “Panorama of Dendrochronology in France” was held in Digne-les-Bains (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). As Lucien Tessier recalled in the introduction to the scientific proceedings, this conference aimed to illustrate the diversity of approaches related to dendrochronology and to bring together the community of French-speaking researchers in the field.

Indeed, “all focusing on a similar object, researchers from these disciplines have most often worked in parallel, without intersecting their research questions, meeting only on methodological issues of cross-dating and on the construction of reference chronologies.”

The event brought together around sixty participants from nearly all French laboratories, institutions, and consulting offices, providing this community with increased visibility within the national and international scientific landscape.

“There will undoubtedly be a before and an after Digne-les-Bains 2009!”, wrote J.-J. Delannoy in the editorial of the proceedings.


 

Read the rest of the article on the blog https://bioarcheo.hypotheses.org/