Methodology for Creating 3D Models of Mammoth Tusk Beads from the Sungir Site: Possibilities for Extracting and Using Morphometric Data

Mammoth ivory beads, a key element of Upper Palaeolithic ornaments (40–12 ka BP), are widely distributed across Central and Eastern Europe. They are most often found as isolated artifacts, while reconstructions of composite ornaments are possible only from rare burial contexts. Among these, the burials at the Sungir site (30–26 ka BP) are of particular importance, having yielded thousands of beads, many preserved in situ. The large quantity of finds and their fragile preservation complicate both the analysis of bead morphology and dimensions and the study of their arrangement within ornaments. To address this, a dataset of 3D models representing several strands from the male and adolescent burials was created, and a procedure for automated morphometric analysis was developed. This approach enables the identification of manufacturing and compositional patterns in ivory ornaments, providing new insights into Upper Palaeolithic cultural traditions.