This study presents a minimally invasive workflow using high-resolution mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify the species of ivory and bone objects from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, dating back to 4000 B.C. The authors developed a proteomic database of underrepresented species based on samples from the American Museum of Natural History and proposed alternative data analysis workflows for samples with inconsistent preservation. The method successfully identified a variety of species, including elephant, hippopotamus, sperm whale, deer, and cow, by analyzing small amounts of material. The study highlights the importance of species identification for CITES compliance and cultural heritage conservation, and demonstrates the effectiveness of proteomics in unlocking sequence uncertainties, such as distinguishing between leucine and isoleucine residues. The developed techniques can be applied to a wide range of museum objects, providing valuable insights into their origins and historical contexts.This study presents a minimally invasive workflow using high-resolution mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify the species of ivory and bone objects from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, dating back to 4000 B.C. The authors developed a proteomic database of underrepresented species based on samples from the American Museum of Natural History and proposed alternative data analysis workflows for samples with inconsistent preservation. The method successfully identified a variety of species, including elephant, hippopotamus, sperm whale, deer, and cow, by analyzing small amounts of material. The study highlights the importance of species identification for CITES compliance and cultural heritage conservation, and demonstrates the effectiveness of proteomics in unlocking sequence uncertainties, such as distinguishing between leucine and isoleucine residues. The developed techniques can be applied to a wide range of museum objects, providing valuable insights into their origins and historical contexts.