The timber trade in the Vesuvian area before 79 AD as inferred from dendrochronological research at Moregine site

Abstract

The substantial volume of timber recovered from the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD offers a valuable resource for gaining insights into the timber trade during Roman times. Silver fir emerges as the dominant species in construction within the Vesuvian region. While this species once thrived more abundantly along the Apennines, it now exists only in small, isolated groups, raising the possibility that the Romans contributed to its scarcity. Nevertheless, the origins of the substantial quantity of silver fir wood discovered in Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the surrounding areas remain unclear. This study examines 35 wood samples obtained during the excavation of the Moregine site, an ancient commercial port located a mere 600 m to the south of Pompeii's walls. Dendrochronological analysis successfully dated 19 out of the 35 samples. Despite silver fir not being the ideal species for dendroprovenancing analysis, certain observations can be made regarding its likely foreign origin. The correlation with chronologies of different species of Central European origin, the presence of species such as spruce/larch among the structural material and the existence of different groups among the material analysed are strong indications that demonstrate the foreign origin of at least some of the timber. Dendrochronological data further support that the wood trade played a strategically significant role in the economy of ancient Rome.