Increasingly, 3D artefact models are being used as the foundation for analysing shape differences between handaxes, enabling a much greater understanding of variation in the Arabian Lower Palaeolithic.
On the right is a 2D image of a handaxe found in the Nefud desert by the Palaeodeserts team in 2015.
The 3D model below of the same handaxe is constructed from a series of 2D photographic images and allows us to analyse shape differences in such handaxes in much greater detail, using geometric morphometric techniques.
Saudi Arabia handaxe by ellie_s on Sketchfab
Note: Use Google Chrome to view the 3D image; 3D does not work on Internet Explorer