The Newport Ship is the most substantial late medieval vessel excavated and recovered in Britain in recent years. It was abandoned after extensive salvage, possibly following attempts at repairs to the hull. More than 23 m of the clinker‐built ship were recovered, along with significant artefact and environmental assemblages. Finds point to strong Iberian connections during the active life of the ship, which arrived in Newport in the Severn Estuary, after the spring of AD 1468. The dismantling and recovery of the ship has enabled detailed recording using innovative 3D digital techniques and approaches to hypothetical reconstruction. Publication includes a digital archive hosted by the Archaeological Data Service, a substantial report and this article.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine the suitability of additive manufacturing technologies in the reconstruction of archaeological discoveries as illustrative models. The processes of reverse engineering and part fabrication are discussed in detail, with particular emphasis placed on the difficulties of managing scaling and material characteristics for the manufacturing process. Design/methodology/approach -Through a case-based approach, this paper examines the reconstruction of a fifteenth-century ship recovered from the River Usk in South Wales, UK. Using interviews and process data, the paper identifies challenges for both archaeologists and manufacturers in the application of additive manufacturing technologies for archaeological reconstruction applications. Findings -This paper illustrates both the suitability of additive manufacturing in archaeological restoration, but also the challenges which result from this approach. It demonstrates the practical considerations of scaling process and materials, whilst also highlighting the techniques to improve accuracy and mechanical properties of the model. Originality/value -Whilst the technologies of additive manufacturing have previously been applied to model making, little scholarly research has considered the practical techniques of design elicitation and manufacturing for archaeological applications. Using an in-depth case study, this paper highlights the principal considerations for these applications, and provides guidance in the mitigation of manufacturing issues.

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The Mica Wreck (so named because it lies in the Mississippi Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico) lies in 810 MSW, approximately 50 kilometers south of the Louisiana coast. The shipwreck will be surveyed and partially excavated in July 2002 with the aid of the u.s.

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