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Dear Dale and ZOOARCH: there are three possible sources for animal hair i.d. for developed countries.  One is whatever laboratory supports identifications of animal products illegally imported because they are on the CITES list.  In the UK this would might be the animal plant and Health Agency (APHA), or they should know. 
Another would be a laboratory that analyses the purity of wool and identifies adulterations.  There are several of these in the UK: an online search should find some (e.g.: SGS), leaving you with the problem of finding out how much they would charge (or do it pro bono).
Finally, there are forensic hair specialists: they even have an i.d. atlas/ searchable database. A nearby forensic archaeologist (in your department?) might know a useful one.

Greg Campbell
The Naive Chemist



On Friday, 8 January 2016, 18:05, Julia Best <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


Hi Zooarch,
Would the ZooMS gang at York be able to help species wise? I'm not sure if hair has been tried yet but it might be worth a shout.

Drop Matthew Collins a line maybe.

All the best,
Julia

Dr Julia Best
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science
Faculty of Science and Technology
Bournemouth University
Talbot Campus
Poole
BH12 5BB

Tel: +44 (0)1202 962074
Room: CG23

________________________________________

From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Serjeantson D. <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 08 January 2016 17:57:03
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Possible hair from Palaeolithic site

Can anyone help my colleague Alex Pryor with this query about the identification of a possible hair from a Palaeolithic site?

If he was still with us, this is something Michael Ryder would have been able to answer. Has anyone taken up Michael's research?

Happy New Year to all colleagues,
Dale

From: "Pryor A.J." <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Date: Friday, 8 January 2016 09:06
To: "Serjeantson D." <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Subject: Quick question

Dear Dale,

I am trying to track down someone that might have a specialism in identification of stray hairs to animal species. The story is that I have some samples that are probably charred hair from a Palaeolithic site of Dolní Vĕstonice II, and possibly of mammoth but if it is hair I think horse may be an equally likely option. I am presently trying to confirm 1) that the remains are actually of hair and not something else and 2) if they are, a list of potential species IDs. I’m struggling to think who to ask for an opinion as this is a rather niche area, and wondered if you had come across anyone in your travels that might be able to help?


Thanks,


Alex




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Alexander Pryor
Post-doctoral Researcher
Dept of Archaeology, Uni of Southampton

And

Visiting Scholar at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
University of Cambridge




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Alexander Pryor
Post-doctoral Researcher
Dept of Archaeology, Uni of Southampton

And

Visiting Scholar at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
University of Cambridge




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