Annamaria Cucina

Until recently, the identification of the species of origin for skin and fur materials used in theproduction of archaeological clothing has been based on the analysis of macro‑ and microscopicmorphological features and on the traditional knowledge of Indigenous groups. This approach,however, is not always applicable due to the deterioration of the archaeological objects.Paleoproteomics was used as an alternative approach to identify the species of origin of fifteensamples of various tissues from approximately 600‑year‑old garments found in Nuulliit, northernGreenland. Proteomics revealed that a limited group of marine and terrestrial mammals were usedfor clothing production. The results obtained from the analysis of multiple types of clothing andelements, such as sinew thread and gut skin, suggest that their applications were based on theirproperties. When conclusive assignment of a sample to a species via proteomics was not possible, theobservation by transmitted light microscopy of feather and hair micromorphology, if not affected bydiagenesis, was used to improve the identification. The proteomic characterization of animal materialsused for clothing production in the Nuulliit archaeological context provides an insight into thepractical knowledge and the strategies adopted by the local Indigenous community to exploit naturalresources