화순 쌍봉사 극락전 아미타불 연화좌대의 수종 및 연륜연대 분석

Species Identification and Tree-Ring Dating of the Lotus Pedestal of Amitabha Statue at Ssangbong-Temple in Hwasun, Korea

The objective of this study was to conduct the species identification and tree-ring dat-ing of Lotus Pedestal of the Amitabha Statue at Ssangbong-Temple in Hwasun. The six wood blocks used for the Lotus Pedestal were hard pines (Pinus spp.; diploxilon) except one piece which was ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.). The lotus leaves surrounding the pedestal body were also made of ginkgo. Tree-ring patterns of 3 blocks were synchronized and a 133 years chronology was made. The chronology was crossdated well with the master chronology of Japanese red pine in South Korea. It dated back to A. D. 1551∼1683, i.e. the last ring dated A. D. 1683. Through the estimation of the number of sapwood rings removed during carving, the felling year was calculated A. D. 1704 ± 10. The calligraphic writing on the Pedestal indicated that this statue was made in A. D. 1694. Therefore, the accuracy of the tree-ring dating has been proven.