3D Digitization of a Composite Medieval Sword: Challenges Between Dry Versus Wet Surfaces

This study presents a composite waterlogged archaeological sword, preserved in two parts (A’ and B’), along with the context of the burial environment, as well as the location and the extent of each of the different construction materials. A comprehensive description is provided of the methodology and the technological equipment used for the digital imaging of the examined sword. The results of the digital imaging process are then presented. Imaging of part A’ was successful, while part B’ could not be fully captured due to limitations in the software and the glossy surface caused by the object's wet condition. An attempt was therefore made to digitally join the individual parts in order to present the whole sword as a complete artefact. Although the resulting digital imaging did not present the sword as a unified model whole, it enabled the visualization of the assembly of the two parts. The digitised outputs are positioned both as research assets and as decision-support surrogates for preventive conservation, including how virtual models can inform desalination, corrosion inhibition, and wood stabilization strategies.