Conservation of metal artifacts excavated from tumulus in Chodang-dong, Kangreung City

강릉시 초당동 고분 출토 금속유물 보존

Tumuli located in Chodang-dong in Kangreung City are sitesexcavated by the Museum of Kangreung University in 1993.Ofthese sites, a gilt bronze crown and gilt bronze sword with ring pommel with a tri-leaf ornament were excavated from the B-16tumulus. Underneath the gilt bronze crown was the gilt bronzes word with ring pommel with tri-leaf ornament, and these artifacts were treated with Polyurethane foams on the spot followed by special measures for conservation. This manuscript describes measures for conservation andanalysis with regard to the gilt bronze crown, gilt bronze sword with ring pommel with tri-leaf ornament and gilt bronze beltornaments. Bronze on the gilt bronze crown was completely corroded, therefore it was consolidated together with soil in the back of the artifact with Paraloid B72 after cleaning. Polyurethanefoams bottom was finished by applying the mixture of Epoxy resinAW106 and HV935K with soil. On the sword with ring pommel, the wooden part of the hilt was coated with Paraloid B72 (in Xylene) and the blade was consolidated with Paraloid NAD-10 30% after desalting with Sodium sesquicarbonate method. The gilt bronzebelt ornaments were treated with 3% Benzotriazole, coated with Paraloid B72 and then joined by using Cyanlacrylate. Specimens for the gilt bronze crown and gilt bronze belt ornaments were produced and gilding layers were examined under a metallographic microscope. The gilt bronze crown and the gilt bronze belt ornament maintained relatively good gilding quality with uniform gilding layers. Analysis of wood for the sheath of the sword with ring pommel revealed it to be Juglans mandshurica. Further more, analysis of constituents for a blue colored grassbead from dissolution of Polyurethane foams found it to be from the $Na_2O$-CaO-$AI_2O_3$-$SiO_2$ family.