A Refined Micromilling Protocol for Isotopic Reconstruction of Human Nursing Histories

ABSTRACT Nitrogen stable isotope analysis (δ 15 N) of tooth collagen is routinely used to reconstruct nursing in the past, but few studies verify dietary interpretations. Here, we refine and test the precision of a published micromilling protocol to measure δ 15 N values in small, untreated dentine samples (< 0.5 mg). Isotopic variation and temporal resolution are compared with published high‐resolution sampling of two modern children's first permanent molars. Both individuals show δ 15 N value patterning and variation consistent with high‐resolution sampling, broadly reflecting their known nursing histories. Compared with conventional sampling methods, micromilling captures similar isotopic variation as high‐resolution approaches, providing a globally accessible method.