• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.23
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• pp.1-16
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• 2020

In this paper, Gilt-bronze Standing Avaolkiteshvara (National Treasure No. 293, M355) excavated at Gyuam-ri in Buyeo was observed with a microscope to identify the production technique applied to it. It was also analyzed with XRF and hard X-ray to identify the composition and the surface treatment techniques and casting method applied. In this statue, Avalokiteshvara is standing upright on a lotus pedestal. The lotus designs on the pedestal and those on the shawl flowing down on both sides of the statue are characteristic of Buddhist statues from the seventh century or later. The use of supports to affix the outer and inner molds and traces of injected cast were observed in the interior of the pedestal. The blisters on the arms and pedestal created during the bronze casting indicate the use of lost-wax casting, which was popularly employed for the production of mid- or small-sized gilt-bronze Buddhist statues in ancient times. The composition analysis identified a copper-tin-lead ternary alloy in the interior of the statue that was conventional used in the sixth and seventh centuries. It is likely that this simple alloy was used to facilitate casting and produce clearer expressions of designs and ornaments on the statue. Mercury (Hg) was detected on the surface of the statue, indicating the use of amalgam-plating with gold (Au) dissolved in mercury. This plating method is a common surface treatment technique used for small gilt-bronze statutes in ancient Korea.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.23
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• pp.91-108
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• 2020

This study conducted non-destructive analyses of the material features of seven gilt-bronze crowns of Baekje Kingdom that were excavated in the Cheonan, Gongju, Seosan, Iksan, Naju, and Hapcheon areas. A typical Baekje gilt-bronze crown has a conical inner crown and an outer crown embellished with vertical ornaments on the front and the back, a tube topped with a hemispherical ornament, and other ornamentation. Diverse designs (e.g., dragon, bonghwang, flowers, and plants) were applied using a range of techniques, including repoussé, chasing, openwork, and engraving. Formal features differ among the crowns according to their period of production and site of excavation. The substrate metal of the crowns is either pure copper or mixed copper with a small amount of lead. The crowns were amalgam-plated on the surface with pure gold or gold with a small amount of silver. The crown from Okjeon Tomb No. 23 in Hapcheon in the ancient Gaya region has a high silver content, which appears to be a regional feature. In addition, this crown from Okjeon Tomb No. 23, which can be categorized as Baekje-style gilt-bronze crown, seems to be plated at most three times, while the gilt-bronze crowns found within Baekje Kingdom territory were plated once or twice.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.453-457
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• 2020

Tomb No. 1 (Donghachong) of the Buyeo Neungsan-ri Tomb complex (listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site), is a royal tomb of the Baekje Sabi Period. One wooden coffin unearthed there is an important relic of the funerary culture of the Baekje. This study examines the production techniques of gilt-bronze objects attached to the wooden coffin excavated from Donghachong. The base metal of the gilt-bronze object is pure copper, with single α phase crystals in a heterogeneous form containing annealing twins; Au and Hg are detected in the gilt layer. We suggest that the surface of the forging copperplate is gilded using a mercury amalgam technique; it is thought that the annealing twins of the base material formed during the heat treatment process for the sheet metal. The gilt layer is three to five times thicker for the gilt-bronze objects found near the foot of the coffin than those near the head. We estimate the plating process is carried out at least three times because three layers are identified on the plate near the head. Therefore, it is likely that the materials and methods used to construct the gilt-bronze objects found in different parts of the coffin are the same, but the number of platings is different. This research confirms the metal crafting techniques used in Baekje by the examination of production techniques of these gilt-bronze objects. Further, our paper presents an important example of restoration and reconstruction for a museum exhibition, through effective use of scientific analysis and investigation.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.13
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• pp.71-80
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• 2012

So-hwan earring(small hoop earing) is orbicular earring that have only main hoop. In this study, So-hwan earring from Baekje tombs are analyzed scientifically and those is attempted to find the correlation between scientific results and historical constituent. Six earrings were excavated from Habjung-ri sites in Buyeo and formative features and material characteristics of them were analyzed by microscope and XRF. As a results, various toreutics about producing gold silver alloy, pressure welding and amalgam plating that existed in Baekje from Ungjin period to Sabi period.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.309-318
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• 2015

The staff given with chair to Yi Gyeong-seok, senior official over 70 years old by King Hyeonjong of Joseon Dynasty is representative handcraft of Joseon Dynasty. Results of analysis on the metallic decoration show that the metallic ornament of the end part which is connected to the spade was made by rolling of iron plate and brass plating. The plated part is limited to the ornament of the end part connected to the spade and the plating was not applied to the spade. Brass including 20% zinc was used for the connecting part of guard while brass gilded iron was used for the spade. This suggests that the tone of the connecting part of the guard and the spade was not different for reason of visual harmonization. Potential applied plating method can be amalgam, dippping in molten brass, and brushing but the analysis result suggests that dipping in molten brass method is the most likely accepted method. The brass guard of knife was joined by tin-lead solder. Rivet used to fix the blade was made by pure iron as an optimum material which satisfies flexibility and strength.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2011

If the nondestructive analysis is carried out by using an X-ray Fluorescence Analyzer(XRF) for ingredient analysis with the target of gold plated silverware that plates gold on a silver basis, a singular point showing big difference at the value of weight percent(wt.%) according to the electron orbit of the principal ingredient can be confirmed. The present research made reproduced samples and carried out comparative analysis in order to suggest a basis that can judge whether the technique of gold plated silverware was used in case of remains uneasy to understand with eyes by using this singular point. As a result, the same result as analysis results of actual remains could be seen in specimens manufactured by a mercury amalgam plating method. However, in case of gold and silver alloy specimens, it could be confirmed that the difference according to the electron orbit of the principal ingredients is slight unlike plated specimens. The reason appearing at plated specimens seems to be generated while absorbing XRF beam at plated layers by double structure due to plating instead of single material. Accordingly, if this result appearing at nondestructive analysis is used, it was confirmed that the application of the technique of gold plated silverware can be judged without observing its section.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 2019

The gilt bronze statue, Seated Avalokiteshvara with a Thousand Hands, of the Goryeo dynasty, is the only one in Korea of its kind that has undergone a conservation process for the special exhibition entitled GORYEO: The Glory of Korea. For the conservation treatment, first, a component analysis (XRF) was conducted, and a manufacturing technique (CT) was analyzed. The results of the investigation revealed that the statue was alloyed with Cu, Sn, and Pb ternary bronze. Its surface, except for the detached plating layers, was originally plated using the mercury amalgam method. This statue was assembled after separately casting each part of the body, such as the left and right arms and the wrists, including the hands, with objects. In particular, each wrist was cast and fitted with a metal nail to express each object in the hands more precisely. Inside the statue, there were five iron cores: two for the head, one for the left elbow, one for the right flank, and one for the right waist. For the preservative treatment, natural adhesive agents, including vegetable gelatin and glue (20%), were mixed with alcohol to protect the base metal and adhere to the plating layers. Using synthetic resin (CDK 520+SN-sheet) for the damaged parts, the restored parts could be attached and detached to/from the statue. Eventually, the compositional analysis and conservation treatment left the statue in a stable condition and ready for exhibitions and future studies.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.16
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• pp.14-31
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• 2015

Sword with round pommel discovered in tomb No.39 in the Jisandong tumuli group (M310) is a large sword with a looped pommel enclosing a sculpted dragon head. The sword was produced using different techniques; gold decoration, plating, openwork carving and hammering by using gold and silver. This sword treated conservation work because it has deformation and damages of handle decoration, missing part of sword, and corrosion. Conservation treatment was that foreign material and corroded metal were removed from the surface, and performed to stabilize and reinforce the weakened metal. During the conservation treatment, the object was examined to understand its materials and production method. The result of research, the dragon head inside the looped, amalgam-plated pommel has surface gold decorations. The pommel has a thin gold plate placed over a bottom plate made of copper, which was hammered to create an embossed design. The silver plate-covered hilt, cylindrical in shape, has an openwork lattice design. The steel blade is single-edged. Finally, the locket of the sheath has an embossed design also created through hammering on a thin gold plate placed over the copper bottom plate.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.417-427
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• 2010

This study is to examine the manufacturing technique based on scientific investigation and analysis on Steel-Plated Jewel Beetle's Adornment gilt-bronze openwork remains excavated from No. 100 site at Hwango-dong Gyeongju. As a result of the investigation on the manufacturing revealed that riveting was adopted to connect gilt-bronze openwork plates and steel plates, followed by mercury amalgam plating method and carving of the patterns by means of the dotted line engraving technique. There were some traces on the surface of Jewel Beetle wings that show the use of pins for fixing, which seems to be the result of recycling or processing. The sectional analysis shows the high possibilities that varnishing with lacquer was adopted for wing adhesion, and it was confirmed that varnishing with lacquer was used on the strap pendant plate to prevent corrosion.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.39
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• pp.243-280
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• 2006

At the Bujang-ri Site, Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, around 220 archaeological features, including semi-subterranean houses and pits of Bronze Age and semi-subterranean houses, pits, and burials of Baekje period had been identified and investigated. In Particular, mound burials No. 5 of 13 of Baekje mound burials yielding a gilt-bronze cap along with other valuable artifacts drew international scholarly attention. The gilt-bronze cap from the mound burial No. 5 is a significant archaeological data not only in the study of Baekje archaeology but also in the study of international affairs and exchange at that time. At the time of exposure, the gilt-bronze cap was already broken into a number of pieces and seriously damaged by corrosion, and hardening and urethane foam were necessary in the process of collecting its pieces. Ahead of main conservational treatments on cap, X-ray photograph and CT(computerizes tomography) were taken in order to examine interior structure of the cap and to decide appropriate treatments. In the five layers identified in the profile of cap, a textile layer was set between a metal and a layerof bark of paper birch for avoiding direct contact of the metal and the bark of paper birch. Analyses were executed for examining textile layer and a layer of fibroid material. According to microscopic analysis, while the textile layer consisted of the simplest plain fabric with one fold among three kinds of textile structures, the layer of fibroid material was mixed with two or three kinds of fibers. A comparative analysis with standard sample using FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) announced that both textiles and fabrics were hemp. Analysis of kind of the paper birch resulted in barks of paper birch with 15 fold. A metallographic microscope, SEM, and WDS were used for the analysis of microscopic structures of plated metal pieces. While amalgam plating was treated as a plating method, the thickness of the plated layer, a barometer of plating technique, was ranged from $1.72{\mu}m$ to $8.67{\mu}m$. The degree of purity of gold (Au) used in plating was 98% in average, and less than 1% of silver (Ag) was included.