Characterising the potential of sheep wool for ancient DNA analyses

• Published in: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
• Main Authors: Luise Ørsted Brandt, Lena Diana Tranekjer, Ulla Mannering, Maj Ringgaard, Karin Margarita Frei, Eske Willerslev, Margarita Gleba, M. Thomas P. Gilbert
• Other Authors: Ørsted Brandt, Luise, Diana Tranekjer, Lena, Mannering, Ulla, Ringgaard, Maj, Margarita Frei, Karin, Willerslev, Eske, Gleba, Margarita, Gilbert, M. Thomas P.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Ancient DNA; Mitochondria; Nuclear; Sheep; Textile; Wool; Madder; greenlandic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3405152; https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-011-0055-2

The use of wool derived from sheep (Ovis aries) hair shafts is widespread in ancient and historic textiles. Given that hair can represent a valuable source of ancient DNA, wool may represent a valuable genetic archive for studies on the domestication of the sheep. However, both the quality and conte...