A method for the wavelength calibration of echelle spectra, in which the wavelengths are distributed across number of orders is characterised by the steps: recording of a line-rich reference spectrum with known wavelengths for a number of the lines, determination of the position of a number of peaks of the reference spectrum in the recorded spectrum, selection of at least two first lines of known order, position and wavelength, determination of a wavelength scale for the order in which the known lines lie, by means of a fit function .gamma..sub.m(x), determination of a provisional wavelength scale .gamma.?m 1(x) for at least one neighboring order m 1, by means of addition/subtraction of a wavelength difference .gamma..sub.FSR which corresponds to a free spectral region, according to .gamma.m 1 ?(x)=.gamma..sub.m(x).gamma..sub.FSR with .gamma..sub.FSR=.gamma..sub.m(x)/m, determination of the wavelengths of lines in said neighboring order m 1, by means of the provisional wavelength scale .gamma. 1(x), replacement of the provisional wavelength of at least two lines by the reference wavelength for said lines as obtained in step (a) and repeat of steps (d) to (g) for at least one further neighboring order.