Dendrochronological Research in Amsterdam Monuments: House Building, Timber Trade, and Methodological Implications


Between 2006 and 2022 dendrochronological research on buildings was conducted in the historical inner city of Amsterdam with the aim to obtain knowledge about the dating of structures and increase knowledge about the use of wood, its origin, and the timber market in the past. This study highlights three topics: (1) house building in Amsterdam and the transition from oak to pine for construction timber around 1600, which led to new solutions in the construction of houses; (2) the availability of timber with various provenances in the local market and the varied applications of different timber products in construction; (3) the methodological implications of dendrochronology for building historical research. The question to be addressed is the extent to which dendrochronological research provides new knowledge about the building history of an entire city. The significance and quality of this material source was compared with written sources, showing that dendrochronological research can lead to new interpretations of archival material.