Conservation of a Bronze Incense Burner from Chungung-dong, Hanam

하남시 춘궁동 출토 청동현향로(靑銅懸香爐)의 제작기술과 보존처리

The bronze incense burner, discovered in Chungung-dong, Hanam, Gyeonggi-do in 1971, is a hanging incense burner dating from the Goryeo period. The incense burner was covered with a thick layer of clay. The object was in a severely deteriorated state, affected by bronze disease which resulted in extensive corrosion. Numerous cracks were present across its surface, and some parts had been broken off. To preserve and display the bronze incense burner in a stable condition, deposits of foreign material were removed from the surface, and the weakened metal was strengthened. Cracked and broken areas were reinforced using woven glass fiber, followed by the application of epoxy resin to restore the shape. To investigate the method of production, a chemical analysis was performed, and the microstructure was examined. The chemical analysis revealed that the body of the incense burner as well as the ear, loop, lid and the knob were cast in a ternary alloy of Cu-Sn-Pb. Moreover, copper nails with high copper content were used to securely join the ear to the body of the incense burner. The microstructure was mainly α-phase, and non-intermetallic inclusions composed of Cu and S were detected.

청동현향로(靑銅懸香爐)는 1971년 경기도 하남시 춘궁동에서 발견된 고려시대의 향로이다. 유물의 표면에는 점토가 두껍게 고착되어 있으며, 부식으로 인해 청동병과 다수의 균열이 존재하고 일부분이 결손되어 취약한 상태였다. 청동현향로의 안정한 보존과 전시를 위해 표면에 고착된 이물질을 제거하고 취약한 재질을 강화하였고, 균열부위와 결손부위는 직조유리섬유로 보강하고 에폭시 수지로 복원하였다. 제작기술을 규명하기 위해 성분 분석과 미세조직을 관찰하였다. 성분분석 결과, 몸체, 귀, 고리, 뚜껑, 꼭지부위는 주성분이 Cu-Sn-Pb인 3원계 청동합금으로 주조하였고, 몸체와 귀는 구리의 함량이 높은 구리못으로 고정하였음을 확인하였다. 미세조직은 α상이 대부분이며 Cu와 S이 주성분인 비금속개재물이 존재한다.