Researchers in the field of ancient genomics discovered the exceptional value of the petrous bone relatively recently, in the early 2010s, through comparative studies that examined DNA yields from different skeletal elements sampled from the same individuals.

The dramatic difference in yield — with the petrous bone sometimes producing 10 to 100 times more ancient DNA than other bones from the same burial — quickly made it the preferred sampling target for ancient genomics work.

For tropical sites like the Chichén Itzá chultún, where preservation is generally poor, the petrous bone difference may be the difference between success and failure for ancient DNA recovery.

Other bones from the same individuals may yield no usable genetic material, while the petrous bone provides enough for genome-wide analysis.