• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.42-57
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• 2017

The Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910) had a long tradition of making official seals to commemorate the granting of official royal titles, including posthumous honorary titles, to its kings, queens, crown princes and queen dowagers. These royal seals were typically gold-plated or made of jade. After the death of its holder, each seal would be stored in the royal seal depository in the Royal Ancestral Shrine. Extensive efforts were made to restore the traditions and culture of the royal family of Joseon during the reign of King Sukjong (r. 1674~1720). In 1705, discussions were held about the royal ceremonial objects, including the royal seals, stored in the Royal Ancestral Shrine, resulting in the reproduction of a set of accessories related with the storage of royal seals and ten golden royal seals which had been lost during wars or had yet to be made. With these reproductions, each shrine chamber of the Royal Ancestral Shrine would have had at least one seal. The details of the reproduction project were meticulously recorded in The Royal Protocol by the Directorate for the Restoration of Golden Royal Seals("金寶改造都監儀軌"). Given that the restoration project was the single event that led to the reproduction of all the golden royal seals, it is reasonable to conclude that the directorate had fulfilled a historically significant function. In this study, the main discussion is focused on the establishment of the directorate and the storage and management of the damaged royal seals. The discussion includes the manufacturing process of the golden seals, for which The Royal Protocol is compared with other similar documents in order to gain more detailed knowledge of the measurements of the turtle knob, the lost-wax casting technique, the gold plating with mercury amalgamation technique, and other ornamentation techniques. The discussion also covers the activities of the artisans who made the royal seals, based on a study of the royal protocols; the styles of the artifacts, based on an examination of the remaining examples; and the techniques used by the Directorate for the Restoration of Golden Royal Seals to produce the royal seals in 1705.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.192-214
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• 2023

Wooden architectural cultural heritages are one of the visible legacies that show the national's identity. Even when the concept of 'the original' of cultural heritages was not accurately understood, the emphasis of preservation and management of cultural heritages was placed on 'preservation of the original form' or 'maintenance of the original form'. Moreover, these days, following the trend of international preservation principles, cultural heritages are considered important as "values as historical objects." This paper is the result of an attempt to determine the scope and content of what parts should be monitored to maintain the original form of wooden architectural cultural heritage. The first thing to be done in monitoring wooden architectural cultural heritage is to check the condition of the ground and foundation. The second is the column. This is because the instability of the column causes damage to the joint with each member and the fitting part, resulting in physical changes leading to damage to the wall. The third is monitor the roof tiles. If the leak continues into the building due to the separation or damage of the roof, the defect should be partially dismantled and repaired, so it should be monitored to maintain its original shape as much as possible. The monitoring range of the base, column, and roof serves as a reference point for identifying what damage is being done to the relevant cultural heritages. In other words, the data at the time when monitoring began becomes the 'original' for the year. Alternatives based on the analysis of monitoring for the preservation of original cultural heritages should be actively introduced. In addition, by sharing the current state and situation of cultural heritages as a result of monitoring with various related organizations, preventive preservation should be established rather than preservation of cultural heritages by "intervention."