An ancient tree trunk unearthed by a landslide in southeastern Switzerland nearly two years ago is more than 28 centuries old, local authorities said Thursday.
The white pine was formally dated by scientists to 808 BC, about 2 815 years ago, Mathias Seifert of the archaelogical service in the canton of Graubuenden told the Swiss news agency ATS.
The tree was found on the banks of the Landquart river near the resort of Klosters in August 2005 following a spate of bad weather that caused flash floods and landslides in the mountainous area.
Seifert said he sent the trunk for radio carbon dating after examining the tree rings, which usually betray the age of a tree. The white pine had probably been preserved by a glacier or ice, he added.
That's the whole thing.