This weekend, the ham will turn 116 years old, and will celebrate as anyone would – with a rockin’ party. The ham’s hometown of Smithfield, Virginia will host the annual party, complete with cake, party activities, a visit from the local library’s bookmobile, and a special present for the ham – a 3D printed portrait of itself.
It’s not the first time the ham has been 3D scanned and 3D printed. Less than three years ago, Bernard Means, PhD, an anthropology professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of World Studies, visited the ham at its current home in the Isle of Wight County Museum and 3D scanned it along with the world’s oldest peanut, also courtesy of Gwaltney. The ham and peanut were later 3D printed. Now, in honor of its birthday, the ham is being 3D scanned and printed again.

Virginia Commonwealth University student Rebecca McGovern 3D scans the world’s oldest ham. [Image courtesy of Bernard Means]
Dr. Means leads the university’s Virtual Curation Lab, which specializes in 3D scanning and 3D printing historical and archaeological objects. Dr. Means and his students have scanned close to 4,000 objects thus far.
If you’re wondering what a piece of cured meat smells like after 116 years, Dr. Means can’t give you an exact answer, because, as you can imagine, a 116-year-old ham probably doesn’t smell like anything else.
“It’s a smell you couldn’t quite describe,” he said. “It’s not a hammy smell.”
The 3D scan of the world’s oldest ham is also available to the public online, in case you’d like to 3D print your own. You can also follow the ham’s activities (or lack thereof) on the Ham Cam on the Isle of Wight County Museum’s website, or follow it on Twitter. Yes, the world’s oldest ham has its own Twitter account, because why wouldn’t it? It may be an old ham, but it’s hip to new technology.
Discuss old foods and new technologies at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
Print Services
Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.
You May Also Like
Children’s Nebraska Joins Insight Surgery to Bring 3D Printing to the OR
Children’s Nebraska is teaming up with UK-based Insight Surgery to bring personalized surgical planning and device manufacturing in-house. This move could reshape how the hospital prepares for complex procedures. By...
Insight Surgery Receives $2.5 Million Investment & FDA Clearance for 3D Printed Guides
UK-based Insight Surgery has received a $2.5 million investment, with the round led by medtech investor Nodenza Venture Partners. Insight has a workflow solution for end-to-end design and printing of...
3D Printed Skin: Australia Leads the World with Breakthrough Trial in Sydney
A world-first clinical trial is underway in Sydney, and it’s rewriting the future of burn treatment. At the Concord Burns Unit, a patient has become the first in the world...
Lithoz 3D Printed Bioceramic Implants Get a Boost from KLS Martin
Bioceramic implants could unleash a revolution. Ceramics that come close to mimicking bone could, if deemed safe and useful, replace a lot of metal and polymer implants. Now, a long...