From Shipwreck to Digital Twin: Documenting the Neugrund Wreck (värskendatud versioon)

Abstract

This article presents the creation and analysis of a high-resolution photogrammetric 3D model that forms the foundational component of a developing digital twin of an early 18th-century sailing shipwreck located near the Neugrund shoal in northwestern Estonian waters. The wreck, lying at a depth of 54–55 m, was documented during technical diving operations in 2025 using underwater photogrammetry. Approximately 4,500 images were processed to produce a high-resolution 3D model suitable for detailed archaeological analysis.
The carvel-built vessel measures approximately 18 m in length and 4.5 m in beam. Despite significant bottom-trawling damage, substantial parts of the hull, rigging, anchoring system, and cargo assemblage remain preserved. Rigging elements and structural features suggest that the vessel was most likely a two-masted or ‘one-and-a-half-masted’ merchant vessel. Finds including a Delftware saucer and an onion bottle date the wreck to the first half of the 18th century.
The archaeological evidence indicates that the vessel probably grounded on the Neugrund shoal before drifting approximately 1.5 km and sinking at its present location. The study demonstrates the research potential of digital-twin methodologies for the documentation, analysis, and long-term management of underwater cultural heritage.