• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.58-75
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• 2011

This study aimed to demonstrate that photographic reading can be used to decipher epigraphs more effectively and accurately than conventional rubbing of epigraphy. When using the rubbing technique, the reading rate varies for the each epigraph depending on the time, person, and rubbing method. Thus, we compared the results of conventional rubbing to photographic reading focusing on unread and misread letters. According to the results, some letters were different from those in the reference books, and some letters that could have been readable via photographic reading were misread or read as different letters. In its undamaged state, the Pyeongwangtapbi Monument of Seonggak Daesa is supposed to contain a total of 2,049 letters, and 1,763 of them have been deciphered. This study corrected a total of 308 letters that had not been deciphered or deciphered inconsistently in existing literatures. However, it should be noted that the epigraphs of the Pyeongwangtapbi Monument of Seonggak Daesa read using the rubbing technique were made at least 30-100 years ago, and the photographic reading was performed in 2010. Thus, the overall condition is not perfectly identical. If we read and compare in the same condition, we may obtain even more reliable results. Therefore, based on this study of photographic reading, further studies regarding the correction of the contents of epigraphy should be performed.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.363-371
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• 2009

This study is purposed to investigate that current rubbing technique could be replaced by the photographic rubbing techniques with the photographic lighting and digital techniques. The lighting technique is based on the "texture description theory" using the electric flash and the intaglio epitaph was emphasized from the observation of the both side because it is purposed to decipher epitaph. The photographs were retouched using the photoshop to emphasize epitaph and the spots from the lichen on the tombstone were softened. Especially, it shows that faint epitaph could be deciphered if the digital techniques could be used practically even though some part of the epitaph was destroyed or peeled. Furthermore, it will help to investigate, protect and restore the cultural properties because it surely makes the recording of the material, weathering, peeling of the tombstone much easier than the current rubbing technique.