• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.26
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• pp.83-182
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• 2021

This study summarized the results of the conservation treatment and investigation on the production method of the golden crown (Treasure No. 339) excavated from Tomb No. 129 (also known as Seobongchong Tomb) in Noseo-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. The golden crown from Seobongchong Tomb was discovered during the excavations conducted by the Museum of the Government-General of Korea in 1926 during the Japanese colonial era. It is currently in the collection of the National Museum of Korea. A total of six Silla golden crowns have survived in Korea, among which the crown from Seobongchong Tomb is the only example with a dome-shaped hemispherical decoration attached with a bird ornament while otherwise showing the typical features of Silla crowns. The crown had been repaired following its excavation using metallic materials and adhesives, but due to the partial deformation and damage brought about by the repair materials, it required further conservation treatment. This article describes in detail the overall process of the conservation treatment and the restoration of the original form of the golden crown from Seobongchong Tomb, particularly the method of reinforcing the joints to secure the stability of the crown. It presents the characteristics of the crown's production as revealed in the investigation during the conservation treatment, and further analyzes the relationship of this crown from Seobongchong Tomb with other Silla crowns through a comparison of their production techniques. The investigation revealed that the crown was primarily decorated with golden sequins at the time of its production. At a later point some of the sequins in the upright ornament were replaced with comma-shaped jade beads and additional comma-shaped jade beads were added to the headband. In order to determine if such modifications to the decoration had occurred with other Silla crowns, the decoration of the six extant Silla golden crowns were investigated. The crown from Cheonmachong Tomb features traces of this same modification to the decoration and possesses other similarities with the crown from Seobongchong Tomb.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.12
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• pp.35-45
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• 2011

To keep relics excavated in the era of the Japanese Colonist's rule in the Korean Peninsula in order, the National Museum of Korea selected some of horse strap pendants (Haengyeob) that were excavated from Seobongchong, Sikrichong and Geumryeongchong, and it investigated conservation and production technique. The horse strap pendants selected were classified into three, that is to say, Oval and fish-tail shape, heart shape and atypical: At the results of microscopic observation, XRF and SEM-EDS analysis, base plate was made of iron, and top plate as well as pattern plate was made of iron, copper and silver. Both Oval and fish-tail shape and heart shape horse strap pendants had horse strap pendants having same production technique and sizes at all of three ancient tombs were made of iron and copper. The gold layer of horse strap pendants except the atypical one having no gold layer were made by amalgam gilding.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.17
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• pp.17-42
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• 2016

A scientific analysis was performed on the gold belt with eight dangling ornaments discovered in the large Silla period Seobongchong Tomb. The object's gold sheets, nails, curved ornaments and gold wire were analyzed separately. Results show that all the components are gold-silver alloy, each varying in overall alloy composition. Gold sheets of two different gold contents are used for the belt, 17-18K gold and 19-20K gold, this seemingly by design. Nails are 20K gold, while the curved ornaments and gold wire of the belt are mostly 18K gold. Gold sheets for the dangling ornaments are mainly of 17-19K gold. Connecting rings used in the dangling ornaments are 17-19K gold, nails 17-20K gold and the curved ornaments and wire 19K gold.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.16
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• pp.46-55
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• 2015

This study examines the ratio of alloy components of six gold crowns discovered in six Silla tombs; Gyo-dong, the north tomb of Hwangnamdaechong, Geumgwanchong, Cheonmachong, Geumnyeongchong and Seobongchong. Concretely, the study looks at whether and how crowns from these various tombs differ in terms of the ratio of alloy components. The analysis of the six Silla crowns found that all of them were made of gold and silver alloy. When comparing the ratio of alloy components in crowns and type of crowns, the Gyo-dong crown which is the oldest of them showed the highest content of gold. Crowns from Hwangnamdaechong and Geumgwanchong in the middle to late 5th century, showed a similar content of gold. Gold content of crowns from the late 5th century to early 6th century tombs decreased in order Cheonmachong, Geumnyeongchong and Seobongchong, thus it confirmed that the older the tomb, the higher its gold content.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.39
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• pp.95-130
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• 2006

Japanese government college researchers, including Sekino Tadashi(關野貞), have conducted research studies and collected data, on overall Korean cultural relics as well as Silla tumuli(新羅古墳) in the early modern times under the Japanese imperialistic rule. They were supported by the Meichi government in the early stage of research, by the Chosun government-general, and by their related organizations after Korea was coIonialized to carry out investigations on Korean antiquities, fine arts, architecture, anthropology, folklore, and so on. The objective for which they prosecuted inquiries into Korean cultural relics, including Silla tumuli, may be attributed to the purport to find out such data as needed for the theoretical foundation to justify their colonialization of Korea. Such a reason often showed locally biased or distorted views. Investigations and surveys had been incessantly carried out by those Japanese scholars who took a keen interest in Korean tumuli and excavated relics since 1886. 'Korea Architecture Survey Reports' conducted in 1904 by Sekino in Korea gives a brief introduction of the contents of Korean tumuli, including the Five Royal Mausoleums(五陵). And in 1906 Imanishi Ryu(今西龍) launched for the first time an excavation survey on Buksan Tumulus(北山古墳) in Sogeumgangsan(小金剛山) and on 'Namchong(南塚)' in Hwangnam-dong, which greatly contributed to the foundation of a basic understanding of Wooden chamber tombs with stone mound(積石木槨墳) and stone chambers with tunnel entrance(橫穴式石室墳). The ground plan and cross section of stone chambers made in 1909 at his excavation survey of seokchimchong(石枕塚) by Yazui Seiyichi(谷井第一) who majored in architecture made a drawing in excavation surveys for the first time in Korea, in which numerical expressions are sharply distinguished from the previous sketched ones. And even in the following excavation surveys this kind of drawing continued. Imanishi and Yazui elucidated that wooden chambers with stone mound chronologically differs from the stone chambers with tunnel entrance on the basis of the results of surveys of the locational characteristics of Silla tumuli, the forms and size of tomb entrance, excavated relics, and so forth. The government-general put in force 'the Historic Spots and Relics Preservation Rules' and 'the Historic Spots Survey Council Regulations' in 1916, establishing 'Historic Spots Survey Council and Museum Conference. When museums initiated their activities, they exhibited those relics excavated from tumuli and conducted surveys of relics with the permission of the Chosun government-general. A gold crown tomb(金冠塚) was excavated and surveyed in 1921 and a seobong tomb(瑞鳳塚) in 1927. Concomitantly with this large size wooden chamber tombs with stone mound attracted strong public attention. Furthermore, a variety of surveys of spots throughout the country were carried out but publication of tumuli had not yet been realized. Recently some researchers's endeavors led to publish unpublished reports. However, the reason why reports of such significant tumuli as seobong tomb had not yet been published may be ascribed to the critical point in those days. The Gyeongju Tumuli Distribution Chart made by Nomori Ken(野守健) on the basis of the land register in the late 1920s seems of much significance in that it specifies the size and locations of 155 tumuli and shows the overall shape of tumuli groups within the city, as used in today's distribution chart. In the 1930s Arimitsu Kyoichi(有光敎一) and Saito Tadashi(齋藤忠) identified through excavation surveys of many wooden chamber tombs with stone mound and stone chambers with tunnel entrance, that there were several forms of tombs in a tomb system. In particular, his excavation survey experience of those wooden chamber tombs with stone mound which were exposed in complicated and overlapped forms show features more developed than that of preceding excavation surveys and reports publication, and so on. The result of having reviewed the contents of many historic spots surveyed at that time. Therefore this reexamination is considered to be a significant project in arranging the history of archaeology in Korea.