Meaningful Applications of Photogrammetry on Shipwreck Excavations - Not Just for Recording! Using 3D Data to Understand the Ships -
Dublin Core
Title
Meaningful Applications of Photogrammetry on Shipwreck Excavations - Not Just for Recording! Using 3D Data to Understand the Ships -
Description
Photogrammetry has rapidly gained attention in the field of underwater archaeology since around 2011,
largely due to significant time constraints associated with underwater excavation. Photogrammetry is a
technique that utilizes photographs taken with a digital camera to create precise 3D digital models. It has
now become possible to replace some of the manual recording tasks with this technique, which offers
both speed and high accuracy. As a result, underwater recording work can now be completed in a fraction
of the time it once required, while still maintaining accuracy.
However, the most significant advantage of photogrammetry lies in the flexibility of the data it
generates, which subsequently enhances archaeologists' research and facilitates hypothesis formulation. In
this paper, the authors present several case studies where photogrammetry is used not only as a recording
tool but also as a support for scientific research, specifically to enhance our understanding of historical
ships. The case studies to be discussed in this paper include the Fournoi Shipwreck 15 from Greece (5th
century A.D.), the Letavica shipwreck from Croatia (1st century B.C), and the Ses Llumetes shipwreck
from Spain (1st century A.D.). In the context of these three case studies, the authors will explore the use
of photogrammetry as a research and analysis tool in shipwreck studies.
largely due to significant time constraints associated with underwater excavation. Photogrammetry is a
technique that utilizes photographs taken with a digital camera to create precise 3D digital models. It has
now become possible to replace some of the manual recording tasks with this technique, which offers
both speed and high accuracy. As a result, underwater recording work can now be completed in a fraction
of the time it once required, while still maintaining accuracy.
However, the most significant advantage of photogrammetry lies in the flexibility of the data it
generates, which subsequently enhances archaeologists' research and facilitates hypothesis formulation. In
this paper, the authors present several case studies where photogrammetry is used not only as a recording
tool but also as a support for scientific research, specifically to enhance our understanding of historical
ships. The case studies to be discussed in this paper include the Fournoi Shipwreck 15 from Greece (5th
century A.D.), the Letavica shipwreck from Croatia (1st century B.C), and the Ses Llumetes shipwreck
from Spain (1st century A.D.). In the context of these three case studies, the authors will explore the use
of photogrammetry as a research and analysis tool in shipwreck studies.
Creator
Kotaro Yamafune
Dimitra Voutyrea
Irena Radić Rossi
Javier Rodríguez Pandozi
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Yamafune, Kotaro . 2023. “Meaningful Applications of Photogrammetry on Shipwreck Excavations – Not just for recording! Using 3D data to understand the ships.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, and T. Kurt Knoerl. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/2014
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Citation
Kotaro Yamafune
et al., “Meaningful Applications of Photogrammetry on Shipwreck Excavations - Not Just for Recording! Using 3D Data to Understand the Ships -,” APCONF-MUCH Proceedings Recently Added Items, accessed October 24, 2026, https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/items/show/642.