Ancient well may be the world's oldest wooden architectural structure

By Colin Barras

Michal Rybníček/Mendel University

A handful of oak-lined water wells built by Europe’s first farmers have earned the title of the world’s oldest surviving wooden architecture. Now, one of the earliest of the oak structures has been precision dated using the tree rings in the wood, and it provides evidence that Europe’s first farmers may also have been keen on recycling.

Trees in temperate latitudes generally gain a ring of new growth each year – wider ones in good growing seasons, …