Missing link in Late Antiquity? A critical examination of Hollstein’s Central European Oak Chronology

A critical re-evaluation of Ernst Hollstein’s Central European Oak Chronology, a foundational dendrochronological tool for dating in western Germany, confirms its reliability despite past criticisms. The study, involving 62 site chronologies from Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, and northeastern France, strengthened the Late Antiquity bridging period (350–400 CE) by validating Hollstein’s original findings with additional data. Notably, the mean series for Broichweiden was extended to 503 CE, and the new chronology aligned with an independent southern German reference, ensuring robust crossdating thresholds. This validation preserves the integrity of Hollstein’s chronology, allowing absolute dating based on its Roman-era segment to remain scientifically valid.

Rzepecki, A., Neyses-Eiden, M., Frank, T., Diethelm, B., Herzig, F., & Tegel, W. (2019). Missing link in Late Antiquity? A critical examination of Hollstein’s Central European Oak Chronology. Dendrochronologia, 54, 20–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2019.01.003