3D Digital Libraries for Maritime Archaeology: 17th- and 18th-Century Dutch Ocean-Going Merchant Ships

Abstract

Digital 3D surveys of shipwrecks have become ubiquitous in recent years. As a substantial number of 3D shipwreck surveys accumulate, there remains a largely untapped opportunity for longitudinal and quantitative analyses of historic vessels in ways that were previously difficult or impossible using traditional methods, and which would provide new perspectives on the nautical archaeological record. A digital reference library was developed for Dutch ocean-going merchant vessels of the 17th and 18th century, including a substantial database of 3D scans of contemporary scale models, together with shipwreck scans, manuscripts, and other historical evidence. Important lessons for future typological digital reference libraries are highlighted, particularly the challenges of estimating scale, vessel classification and the need to publish survey data in open spatial formats.