Analysis of Species and Tree-Ring Dating of Wood Elements Used for the Daewoongjeon Hall of Youngguksa Temple

영국사 대웅전 목부재의 수종 및 연륜연대 분석

During the repair and restoration of the Daewoongjeon Hall of Youngguksa Temple, species identification and tree-ring dating for both present wood elements and charred ones excavated under the Hall, were conducted. The species of 74 wood elements of Daewoongjeon Hall, were identified as Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. and only 1 was identified as exotic Pinus species. The latter wood, which was used in the laths, seems to have been replaced during past repairs. Many documentary records and various artifacts pertaining to Youngguksa Temple are being excavated, but none described precisely the construction date of the present Daewoongjeon Hall. Also, from beneath the Daewoongjeon Hall, cornerstone and foundation of previous building and several charred wood elements were excavated. In comparing the direction of the stone columns of foundation of the previous structure and the existing Daewoongjeon Hall, the previous structure was rotated in an angle of approximately $15^{\circ}$. Therefore, in order to find the association of the previous structure with the present Daewoongjeon Hall, tree-ring dating was conducted. The dating of 41 original timbers and 14 roof-filling timbers of the present construction elements revealed that the last annual ring was of A. D. 1703 with complete latewood, indicating that those woods was cut some time between the autumn of 1703 and spring of 1704, and the building was erected in 1704 when we assume no period of wood storage. The year of the last annual ring of the charred elements, which were excavated from beneath the Daewoongjeon Hall, was analyzed as 1674. The cutting year of the woods used for the present building began in 1698, therefore, it can be presumed that the Daewoongjeon Hall before the fire was a structure that was elected shortly after 1674 and that a catastrophic fire occurred some time between 1674 and 1698.