Chemical Fingerprinting for Geological and Geographical Provenancing of Ochre Minerals used by Australian Aboriginals

原住民在他们最有意义的文化互动中使用赭石。这种用法在其他文化中也有反映，但澳大利亚证据的丰富性和复杂性是独一无二的。分析和表面化学家与博物馆馆长和保护人员的这种合作伙伴关系提供了一个理想的机会，可以利用一系列技术来确定来自人工制品，艺术品或考古遗址的赭石的来源。其结果将是对澳大利亚土著人与这个国家的一个关键资源互动的方式的极大丰富的理解，并应产生关于这个国家的文化过去的新结论。

Aboriginal peoples have used ochre in their most meaningful cultural interactions. This usage is reflected in other cultures, but the richness and complexity of the Australian evidence is unique. This partnership of analytical and surface chemists with the museum curators and conservators provides an ideal opportunity to utilize a range of techniques for the unambiguous provenancing of ochre from an artefact, artwork or an archaeological site. The result will be a greatly enriched understanding of the way in which Aboriginal Australians interacted with one of this country's key resources and should yield fresh conclusions about this country's cultural past.