The specific drilling marks, the surface textures, and the dimensions of the individual beads provide information about the tools used to make them and the skill of the makers.

Some beads show evidence of having been made in stages — the hole drilled in multiple episodes, with breaks that may reflect rest periods or changes of tools during the manufacturing process.

The diadem — the head ornament that was placed on the child’s head — has been particularly well-studied.

Its dimensions and form have been measured, its surface analyzed for tool marks and traces of the manufacturing process, and its composition identified.

It was made from mammoth ivory, as were most of the other ivory objects from the burial, and it was shaped by cutting, scraping, and grinding with stone tools.