Abstract—Ten type 1 and 2 carbonaceous chondrites have been analysed by stepped combustion to determine the nature of their sulphur‐bearing components. All samples show complex release patterns which, when combined with published petrographic observations, can be interpreted in terms of sulphur derived from a mixture of at least seven components (elemental sulphur, organic sulphur, sulphide, FESON or tochilinite and sulphates: gypsum, bloedite and epsomite). Estimated concentrations of individual components show that most of the sulphur in the meteorites exists in oxidised form. The concentrations of reduced and oxidised components can be used to derive approximate oxidised/reduced sulphur ratios for the meteorites. These ratios are indicators of the extent of aqueous alteration and increase in the order CM