Tree-ring analysis, or dendrochronology, provides calendar dates of wooden materials. Past human settlements and activities that have either disappeared or cannot be traced back in time using written documents may have left behind wooden structures or may have impacted the surrounding woody vegetation.

Accurate information can be obtained on the timing and chronological sequence of land use practices, because wood specimens can be exactly dated by matching their ring patterns against master tree-ring chronologies developed for the same species and area.

The DendroLab has been fortunate enough to participate in several archaeological projects in the region, providing critical and accurate information on historical cultural activity.

Between the remarkable sub-surface preservation characteristics of wood remnants in the semi-arid Great Basin, and the extensive lower-altitude tree-ring network developed by the DendroLab, many wood fragments unearthed as part of excavations have been exactly dated with high reliability.