ИСТИНА

The earliest history of the Spitsbergen archipelago (Svalbard) is still a subject of discussion. According to the “Viking hypothesis” Svalbard was discovered in the 12th century by Norse sailors (Albrethsen S.E., Arlov T.B., 1988; Arlov T.B., 2005). Famous Russian archaeologist V. F. Starkov declared that Russian hunting in the Spitsbergen archipelago was initiated in 1550 (if not earlier) (Starkov V.F., 1988; 2009). Officially, the archipelago was discovered in 1596 by Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz. While Barentsz’ discovery in 1596 is generally accepted as a historical fact, the question about the earlier visits of the Russian Pomors at Svalbard remains controversial and needs reinforcement with new data (Arlov, 2005; Hultgreen T., 2005; Chochorowski J., Krapiec M., 2017). The results of the dendrochronological analysis of the three Russian hunting stations in Southern Spitsbergen (Bjornbeinflyene, Palffyodden, and Schonningholmane) and their comparison with the results of radiocarbon and archaeological analysis are presented. These stations were discovered during excavations conducted by the Polish archaeological expedition of Jagiellonian University in the Sorkappland and Hornsund fjord regions of Spitsbergen (Chochorowski J., Krapiec M., 2017). Wood samples found during excavations are fragments of wood dwellings, monumental crosses, and a shipwreck. Some of them were analyzed with help of radiocarbon dating and wiggle-matching method at the University of Science and Technology and the Laboratory of Absolute Dating (Krakow, Poland) (Chochorowski J., Krapiec M., 2017). Here we present the results of dendrochronological dating of some floating chronologies. In total, 8 samples of larch (3 pieces) and pine (5 pieces) were examined. These samples are constructional elements of dwellings, appearing to be prefabricates brought from the continent. Traditionally, the Pomor hunting huts were mostly prefabricated and brought from the mainland, and only the oldest ones were built of driftwood timber (Starkov V.F., 2009). To obtain absolute dates, these floating chronologies were cross-dated against more than 200 master tree-ring chronologies from Siberia, Komi, Archangelsk region, Karelia, Kola Peninsula, and Northern Fennoscandia, including our own data. Cross-dating was performed by CORINA software which includes t-values calculated with different detrending options. Samples from two stations (Bjornbeinflyene and Schonningholmane) were successfully dendro-dated with the existing master tree-ring chronologies. The dendro-dating obtained for the wood samples from these two stations were established as AD 1759-1812 (t=5.7; pine, Archangelsk region) and AD 1698-1776 (t=4.6; larch, Yamal Peninsula) respectively. The first dating does not contradict the results of radiocarbon and archaeological dating. The discovery of some relics in Bjornbeinflyene (kaolinite pipe) helped determine 1770-1810 as the time period when the hut was used. In other cases, additional information is required. Nevertheless, the second dating is consistent with the fact that since the XV century, the Pomors regularly went on their ships from Arkhangelsk to the Yamal Peninsula and the Gulf of Ob where they founded the town of Mangazeya. This route, known as the Mangazeya seaway, was an early precursor to the Northern Sea Route. Using our own tree-ring chronology developed from Pinus sylvestris L. samples collected near the northern timber line at Kola Peninsula (68.6 N; 33.3 E), we discuss climatic variations in Arctic during the periods of the supposed discovery of Svalbard by Vikings in the 12th century and by Russian Pomors in the 16th century. Our results confirmed the radiocarbon and archaeological dating of Russian hunting stations at South Spitsbergen. Literature Albrethsen S.E., Arlov T.B. The discovery of Svalbard – a problem reconsidered // Fennoscandia archaeologica. 1988. V. P. 105-110. Arlov T.B. The discovery and early exploitation of Svalbard. Some historiographical notes // Acta Borealia. 2005. V. 22. P. 3-19. Chochorowski J., Krapiec M. Dating of Russian hunting stations in South Spitsbergen using dendrochronological and radiocarbon analyses // Radiocarbon. 2017. V. 59. P. 519-530. Hultgreen T. The chronology of the Russian hunting stations on Svalbard: A reconsideration // Acta Borealia. 2005. V. 22. P. 79-91. Starkov V.F. Russian sites on Spitsbergen and the problem of chronology // Fennoscandia archaeological. 1988. V. P. 111-116. Starkov V.F. Ocherki istorii osvoenija Arktiki. T. 1. Spitsbergen. (Review of the Arctic pioneering) / Moscow, Scientific World. 2009. 96 pp. (in Russian).