ShipShape: solid modelling and visualisation of the Newport Medieval Ship from 3D digital record
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Department Name: Archaeology and Anthropology
Abstract
The Newport Ship is the most substantial medieval ship found in Britain in modern times. Following its discovery in 2002, the ship was dismantled and the individual timbers recovered for detailed recording, analysis and eventual conservation. The recovery of the ship reflected strong local support for its rescue and display, mirrored by widespread academic interest. The ship is important at a number of levels: as a major archaeological find which has galvanised sustained community support for heritage, and as a rare survival of a clinker-built ship of the late medieval period, constructed on the Atlantic seaboard.
Since its recovery, the thousands of timbers making up the find have been recorded using 3-dimensional recording arms to produce a digital record of the ship's structural elements. The waterlogged timbers now need to undergo chemical treatments to remove contaminants such as iron and sulphur and then be actively conserved. These processes will take some time (of the order of 4-6 years) and in the meantime public interest (demonstrated by tens of thousands of visitors to the Newport Ship Centre) needs to be sustained whilst the timbers are less accessible. An interim exhibition which addresses some of the most common questions asked by the public (which also parallel key research objectives) such as 'What did the ship look like?', 'How big was the ship?', 'How much cargo could it carry?' will be based on a programme of research focused on reconstruction of the ship's original hull form.
The ship remains had been distorted over centuries of burial and the original size and shape of the vessel cannot be readily determined. Traditional approaches to such research questions have included the construction of scale research models in fragile materials such as card which are not suitable for display. This project will realise the potential of the 3-dimensional digital record of each timber by firstly building an accurate virtual solid model of each timber. A precise 1:10 scale physical copy of each piece will then be manufactured using a process called 'laser sintering'. This process has been developed to allow production of short runs of high precision models such as prototypes. Pieces are manufactured in a thermoplastic (Polyamide 12) which can be bent using tension and/or the application of moderate heat.
The dynamic exhibition will evolve over time as the scale model, which will act as the centrepiece, is built following the original construction order of the ship. Existing display panels will be updated to explain the research and its outcomes, redressing reduced access to the ship timbers during their conservation treatment. Research outputs will also include enhanced website information, journal articles and conference papers. Feedback from public audience responses to the exhibition will be used to help develop display concepts for the permanent display of the ship once all the timbers have been displayed.
The creation of the exhibition and the research underpinning it will be achieved through development of an existing relationship between Newport Museum and Heritage Service (keeper of the Newport Ship) and the University of Wales Lampeter which has provided archaeological consultancy support since the ship's discovery.
Since its recovery, the thousands of timbers making up the find have been recorded using 3-dimensional recording arms to produce a digital record of the ship's structural elements. The waterlogged timbers now need to undergo chemical treatments to remove contaminants such as iron and sulphur and then be actively conserved. These processes will take some time (of the order of 4-6 years) and in the meantime public interest (demonstrated by tens of thousands of visitors to the Newport Ship Centre) needs to be sustained whilst the timbers are less accessible. An interim exhibition which addresses some of the most common questions asked by the public (which also parallel key research objectives) such as 'What did the ship look like?', 'How big was the ship?', 'How much cargo could it carry?' will be based on a programme of research focused on reconstruction of the ship's original hull form.
The ship remains had been distorted over centuries of burial and the original size and shape of the vessel cannot be readily determined. Traditional approaches to such research questions have included the construction of scale research models in fragile materials such as card which are not suitable for display. This project will realise the potential of the 3-dimensional digital record of each timber by firstly building an accurate virtual solid model of each timber. A precise 1:10 scale physical copy of each piece will then be manufactured using a process called 'laser sintering'. This process has been developed to allow production of short runs of high precision models such as prototypes. Pieces are manufactured in a thermoplastic (Polyamide 12) which can be bent using tension and/or the application of moderate heat.
The dynamic exhibition will evolve over time as the scale model, which will act as the centrepiece, is built following the original construction order of the ship. Existing display panels will be updated to explain the research and its outcomes, redressing reduced access to the ship timbers during their conservation treatment. Research outputs will also include enhanced website information, journal articles and conference papers. Feedback from public audience responses to the exhibition will be used to help develop display concepts for the permanent display of the ship once all the timbers have been displayed.
The creation of the exhibition and the research underpinning it will be achieved through development of an existing relationship between Newport Museum and Heritage Service (keeper of the Newport Ship) and the University of Wales Lampeter which has provided archaeological consultancy support since the ship's discovery.
Publications
Nayling N
(2014)
The Newport Medieval Ship, Wales, United Kingdom The Newport Medieval Ship
in International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
Soe S
(2012)
Additive manufacturing for archaeological reconstruction of a medieval ship
in Rapid Prototyping Journal
Title | The exhibition comprises a scale model of the medieval ship. The exhibition is viewed by visitors during organised trips and workshops at the centre. |
Description | he exhibition comprises a scale model of the medieval ship. The exhibition is viewed by visitors during organised trips and workshops at the centre. |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Impact | This model has acted for the basis of subsequent discussion and interpretation of the ship both by members of the public, including Newport residents, and the Friends of the Newport Ship stakeholder organisation which campaigns for the ship's research, conservation and display. |
URL | http://newportship.org/Default.aspx |
Description | The project employed innovative approaches to digital modelling and rapid prototyping to develop new techniques for researching archaeological ship finds, making the research publicly accessible |
Exploitation Route | The process of modelling which was developed has been taken up by other ship projects. An informal network of archaeological ship projects, many located within museums or state heritage organisations, known as the Faro-Arm and Rhino Archaeological Users Group has a growing membership. Many of these projects are now employing similar approaches to modelling and reconstruction. Further research has also been undertaken through additional grants from AHRC |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Description | The project employed innovative approaches to digital modelling and rapid prototyping to develop new techniques for researching archaeological ship finds, making the research publicly accessible |
First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural |
Title | STL virtual models of individual ship timbers. |
Description | During construction of the scale model of the medieval Newport Ship, digital closed surface models of individual timbers were constructed and supplied to a rapid-prototyping research centre for manufacturing using laser sintering. The digital models of individual timbers have been made freely available to all through the Archaeology Data Service |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Has provided digital basis for subsequent minimum and capital reconstructions of Newport Ship through follow on funding from Cymal and Newport City Council |
URL | http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/newportship_2013/ |