The history of fossil hominin reconstruction is filled with cases where researchers assembled incomplete specimens from scattered fragments, sometimes from multiple individuals, sometimes with pieces missing entirely.

What the Cambridge team brought to Shanidar Z was the application of high-resolution micro-CT scanning to a complete sediment block before any physical excavation began.

This approach, now increasingly standard for delicate archaeological specimens, allows researchers to see exactly where fragments lie within the matrix before touching them — essentially creating a roadmap for excavation.

The physical excavation then proceeded fragment by fragment, with each piece photographed, catalogued, and its position within the block recorded.

This documentation is important because the original orientation of fragments can provide information about how the skull was positioned when sediment accumulated around it.