Didier Pousset · Dendrochronologist

Reading wood to illuminate history

I help heritage institutions and professionals study historic timber, from defining the protocol to reporting the findings.

A reference database built over more than 30 years · Teaching at the Institut national du patrimoine (INP)

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A comprehensive reading of wood

My approach combines xylology, which identifies wood species; dendromorphology, which studies the shape and conversion of timber; tracology, which examines tool marks and reconstructs gestures; and dendrochronology, which dates wood through the year-by-year study of growth rings.

These complementary approaches apply to works of art and furniture, musical instruments, architectural timber and archaeological remains.

A tailored study

How a study is carried out

Frame the enquiry
Clarify the object or structure, its context and accessibility, and the questions the study needs to address.
Define the protocol
Select the appropriate methods, areas to examine and, where necessary, the conditions for observation or sampling.
Acquire the data
Document the timber and collect usable measurements according to the agreed protocol, on site or in the laboratory.
Write the report
Deliver a structured, ready-to-use report covering observations, analyses, results, interpretation and limitations.

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