Oxygen-isotope ratios in quartz as indicators of the provenance of archaeological ochres

The oxygen-isotope ratios of fine-grained quartz extracted from ochre samples can provide an indicator of ochre provenance. A pilot study on a small series of red ochres from central Australia shows that ochres from different geological provinces can be distinguished using this technique. Oxygen-isotope ratios of fine-grained quartz could be used in conjunction with other geochemical methods either to verify the regional provenance of an ochre or to screen a collection for material of exotic origin