Auditory Ossicles Sampling Protocol for Ancient Samples V1

This protocol describes how to sample the tiny auditory ossicle bones — the stapes (stirrup), malleus (hammer), and incus (anvil). It is particularly recommended for sampling ossicles from uncleaned whole skulls with the temporal bone present, or from isolated temporal bones with burial or depositional soil still filling the ear canal. These bones can be used to extract authentic human DNA fragments in both ancient DNA and forensic contexts.