An analysis of 59 archaeological wood samples from excavation sites of the prehistoric settlements Stare gmajne, Verd and Črešnja pri Bistri on Ljubljansko barje (the Ljubljana marshes) was carried out. The samples came from three excavations that took place in 2021. The aim of this project was to identify the wood samples macroscopically and microscopically and to date them using dendrochronological and radiocarbon analyses. Samples from the Verd site were identified as black alder (Alnus glutinosa), willow (Salix sp.), ash (Fraxinus sp.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica). An ash sample was dated to 4700 BCE, using the radiocarbon method, making Verd one of the oldest known prehistoric settlements in Ljubljansko barje. The samples from the Črešnja pri Bistri site were identified as ash (Fraxinus sp.), beech (Fagus sylvatica), oak (Quercus sp.) and European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). Dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating of an oak sample (3450 BCE) and an ash sample (3482 BCE) confirmed that the wood originated from the previously investigated settlement. One of the samples was dated to 1647 ± 95 BCE, and is thus considerably younger than the known site of Črešnja pri Bistri. The examination of the wood species from the Stare gmajne site revealed a high proportion of poplar (Populus sp.), hazel (Corylus avellana) and ash. Dendrochronological dating was not possible due to poor preservation.
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