Strontium isotopes are used in archaeology to reconstruct human and animal migration routes. We present results of a pilot study applying strontium isotope analyses to modern sheep hair as a basis for its potential use as a provenance tracer for ancient woollen textiles. Our hydrofluoric acid‐based, lipid soluble analytical protocol, also tested on a number of ancient textile fibres, allows for contamination‐free, low blank strontium isotope analysis of minimal amounts of archaeological material. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of decontaminated sheep hair agree well with the compositions of biologically available (soluble) strontium fractions from the respective feeding ground soils, a translatable requirement for any potentially successful provenance tracing applied to wool textiles.

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Forsidebilde: Jernvinne og landskap på Kittilbu. I forkant en kullgrop/fangstgrop fra middelalderen. Store slaggmengder er kastet ned terrassekanten mot Kittilbubekken. I bakkant ligger setergrenda på Kittilbu. Foto: J.H. Larsen, Kulturhistorisk museum. Baksidebilde: Jernlupp utvunnet ved eksperimenter utført i regi av «Jernvinna i Oppland» på Kittilbu utmarksmuseum. Foto: L. Grandin, GAL Alle henvendelser om denne boken kan rettes til: Portal forlag AS Gimlemoen 19

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