Wood growth pattern reference datasets for Pinus brutia Ten., Cupressus sempervirens L., and Quercus pubescens Willd. subsp. pubescens from Crete for dendro- and anthraco-typological analysis

This dataset provides ring-width reference series for three key Mediterranean tree species used in Aegean Bronze Age architecture: Pinus brutia (Turkish pine), Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean cypress), and Quercus pubescens (Downy oak). Collected from well-characterized forest stands in eastern Crete, the samples include both trunk cores and branch sections, enabling comparisons between stem and branch growth. A subset of branch samples was experimentally carbonized to measure radial shrinkage, crucial for correcting archaeological charcoal analyses. This is the first species-specific anatomical reference for distinguishing trunk and branch wood based on ring-width patterns. The dataset supports applications in dendrochronology, anthracology, and wood-use reconstruction, such as identifying selective logging or fuel management practices. It includes R scripts for applying logistic regression to classify the anatomical origin of archaeological wood. Chronologies reach up to 155 years for cypress, 130 years for pine, and 55 years for oak. While pine and oak trunk series yielded strong cross-dating results, cypress and branch data are more suited for typological analysis. Overall, this dataset is a valuable tool for studying timber selection, woodland use, and past land-use strategies in the eastern Mediterranean.