Medieval Monuments and Wooden Cultural Heritage on Cyprus: Building History with Tree-Rings

FAIN: RZ-266147-19

Cornell University (Ithaca, NY 14850-2820)
Sturt W. Manning (Project Director: December 2018 to April 2025)
Brita Lorentzen (Co Project Director: February 2019 to April 2025)
Nikolas Bakirtzis (Co Project Director: February 2019 to April 2025)

Field research to establish a chronology of Late Byzantine and Medieval churches and icons in Cyprus based on tree-ring analysis (dendrochronology). (36 months)

Our Collaborative Research Grant project employs dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) to establish dates for a key set of Byzantine-Medieval buildings and portable art (especially icons) in Cyprus central to the history and art-history of the East Mediterranean and Orthodox worlds. Via dendrochronology and research on the history and preservation of each building and artwork, this interdisciplinary project will provide for the first time an independent time-frame for one of the world's most important sets of Byzantine-Medieval buildings (ten on the UNESCO World Heritage List). Our project will greatly refine and likely rewrite current understanding of this period which at present lacks an independent time-frame. All data will be digitally recorded and archived permanently in conjunction with a scholarly and public publication and communication strategy to ensure that this unique cultural heritage is preserved for the future independent of the monuments and objects themselves.