Cilician fir

Description

A tall, straight coniferous tree, Abies cilicica, native to the mountains in Lebanon, Syria and nearby regions of Turkey. Cilician fir produces a soft, yellowish-white wood that is easily split. The timber was used for masts, general construction, flag-poles and small turned items.

Synonyms and Related Terms

sapin de Cilicie (Fr.)

Additional Information

° R.Gale, P.Gasson, N.Hepper, G.Killen, "Wood" in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, P.Nicholson, I.Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 334-371.

° H. A. Alden, A.C. Wiedenhoeft, "Qualified Determination of Provenance of Wood of the Firs (Abies spp. Mill) Using Microscopic Features of Rays: An Aid to Conservators, Curators and Art Historians" AIC Poster, reprinted online at http://www.si.edu/scmre/abies.html