I SPÄNNINGSFÄLTET MELLAN VARSAMHET, KUNSKAP OCH NYFIKENHET Att utveckla en handledning för dendrokronologisk provtagning i kyrkobyggnader

Abstract

ABSTRACT This thesis describes the investigation carried out during the development of guidelines for dendrochronological sampling in listed church buildings in Sweden. Dendrochronology is a dating method of historic timber and wood material developed during the 20th century and applied in building archaeology in Sweden since the 1970s. Recent years the way the method is being used have gotten more and more criticised from the heritage sector. Heritage officers in Church of Sweden and buildings researchers argue that a non-functional practise in this filed is problematic. The main problem areas pointed out are over sampling and non-functional systems for archiving samples and communicating results. This together have led to the situation that medieval churches today are being sampled once again. Often in the same timber as previous, because the old samples are not traceable for re-analyse. There is also a low awareness about the international charters and principles concerning how work is supposed to be carried out in heritage buildings. This thesis investigates these problems, and how they have evolved, by describing the different theoretical contexts for heritage preservation, the Swedish Heritage conservation act and the general aspects of dendrochronology today in listed church buildings. The development of non-invasive sampling methods is promoted and discussed. Thru a literature review and a comparison with six guidelines for dendrochronological sampling, a study of the application of the method in buildings is presented. The investigation points out important aspects to stress in a guideline. They are: an initial building historical investigation, the competences of the samplers, to investigate if non-invasive methods can be used instead, the importance of archiving the samples in public accessible archives and finally to scientifically publish results and data. The author concludes that a new sub-division in dendrochronology needs to be developed for heritage buildings, and suggests that it could be called heritage dendro.