Post-excavation recording and 3D modeling in ship reconstruction: A case study of the Western Ledge Reef Wreck

Abstract

As with the study of so many shipwrecks, the late 16th-century Iberian Western Ledge Reef Wreck presents many challenges and opportunities. Since its original discovery in Bermuda in the 1960s, through the subsequent excavation and documentation efforts in the early 1990s, to more recent analysis and ongoing research, the archaeological material related to the hull remains of this vessel still offers new avenues to advance our knowledge on ship construction and design. The project demonstrates the value of combining traditional recording and post-excavation documentation with modern methods of 2D and 3D modeling and digital reconstruction of the complex hull geometry, analyzing hydrostatic parameters and performance, and data visualization.