Any future ancient DNA analysis would need to be conducted with the permission of the Altai Republic and in accordance with whatever protocols the community considers appropriate.

The samples required are tiny — a few milligrams of bone or tooth — but the extraction is necessarily invasive.

Proteomics: The analysis of ancient proteins — preserved in bones, teeth, and other durable tissues — is a newer technique that can provide information complementary to DNA analysis.

Proteins degrade more slowly than DNA under certain conditions, meaning that protein analysis may be possible in specimens where DNA has not been well-preserved.

For the Ice Maiden’s remains, protein analysis could potentially reveal dietary information, provide additional biological sex confirmation, and contribute to paleogenomic understanding of the Pazyryk.