Editing Isotope analysis (section)

==== Sourcing archaeological materials ====

Isotope analysis has been particularly useful in archaeology as a means of characterization. Characterization of artifacts involves determining the isotopic composition of possible source materials such as metal ore bodies and comparing these data to the isotopic composition of analyzed artifacts. A wide range of archaeological materials such as metals, glass and lead-based pigments have been sourced using isotopic characterization.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4754.2006.00279.x |title=Application of Lead Isotope Analysis to a Wide Range of Late Bronze Age Egyptian Materials |journal=Archaeometry |volume=48 |issue=4 |pages=657–69 |year=2006 |last1=Shortland |first1=A. J }}</ref> Particularly in the Bronze Age Mediterranean, lead isotope analysis has been a useful tool for determining the sources of metals and an important indicator of trade patterns. Interpretation of lead isotope data is, however, often contentious and faces numerous instrumental and methodological challenges.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1017/S0003598X00083034 |title=Rethinking the quest for provenance |journal=Antiquity |volume=70 |issue=267 |pages=168–74 |year=2015 |last1=Budd |first1=P |last2=Haggerty |first2=R |last3=Pollard |first3=A. M |last4=Scaife |first4=B |last5=Thomas |first5=R. G |s2cid=162675713 }}</ref> Problems such as the mixing and re-using of metals from different sources, limited reliable data and contamination of samples can be difficult problems in interpretation.