• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.4-21
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• 2021

A stone mold from the Sabi period of Baekje was excavated at the western tombs in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo where there was a recent excavation survey (2016). It was believed and reported that such stone molds were used for copper needles during the early Iron Age; however, a close re-examination of the form revealed that they were used for bifid ornamental hairpins. Given its casting form, the stone mold of Neungsan-ri is estimated to have been used to make bifid ornamental hairpins in a ∩ shape, narrowing down toward the tip. It is considered an artifact of the Goryeo dynasty. The stone used to make the bifid ornamental hairpin mold of Neungsan-ri was chlorite-schist, the principal minerals of which include chlorite, amphibole, and talc. Similar rocks are in nearby Buyeo (Oesan-myeon), Cheongyang, Gongju, and Yesan. They are mainly found between Jiseon-ri, Oesan-myeon, Buyeo, Sucheol-ri, Yesane-up, and Yesan. Nearly 70 bifid ornamental hairpins from the Goryeo dynasty were excavated at Neungsan-ri, Buyeo and the surrounding areas. Among them, the bronze ones excavated from the tombs of Songguk-ri, Buyeo are estimated to have been made using this mold as they closely resemble the Neungsan-ri mold. Stone was likely the preferred material for molds to make bronze artifacts as it was easy to sink a die. Regarding the bifid ornamental hairpin cast excavated in Neungsan-ri, they obtained stones in nearby areas 20~50km from their location, made bronze artifacts, and distributed them to nearby sites during the Goryeo dynasty. These artifacts suggest that the casting technology of using a stone mold was still employed then.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.671-687
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• 2021

This study investigated the firing temperature and thermal deformation process of roof tiles excavated from the connected stone-mound tomb in Seokchon-dong, Seoul, based on mineralogical and physical properties. A large number of roof tiles were excavated from the tomb site and some roof tiles were deformed by heat and were fired in uneven conditions. The colors of original roof tiles and their cores are mostly yellowish-brown, with high water absorption over 12%, containing fine-grained textures and some minerals such as quartz, feldspars, amphibole, and mica. It is estimated that the original roof tiles were fired below 900℃ in oxidation condition, showing loose matrices and mica layers by scanning electron microscopy. However, deformed roof tiles have the uneven surface color of reddish-brown and bluish-gray, and those cross-sections have sandwich structures in which dense reddish-brown surface and porous grey core coexist. They contained mullite and hercynite, so it was estimated to have been fired over 1,000℃, with 0.81~11% water absorption. In some samples, bloating pores by overfiring were observed, which means that they were fired at more than 1,200℃. In addition, the refirng experiments that the original roof tile was fired between 800℃ and 1,200℃ were carried out to investigate the physical and mineralogical properties of roof tiles compared to deformed ones. As a result, the water absorption decreased rapidly and the mineral phase started to change over 1,000℃. As the temperature gradually rises, the matrices are partially melted and recrystallized, resulting in similar thermal characteristics of deformed roof tiles. Therefore, the roof tiles from ancient tombs in Seokchon-dong seem to experience the secondary high temperature of 1,000 to 1,200℃ under uneven firing conditions, resulting in deformation characteristics such as shape transformation and mineral phase transition. It is considered to have been related to cremation rituals at the tombs of Seockchon-dong during the Baekje period.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.138-164
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• 2022

The Neolithic shell midden in Daejuk-ri, Seosan, is distributed on the gentle slope of a low hill close to the west coast. The bedrock of the area consists mainly of schist with various mafic minerals, but shows a partial gneiss pattern. The site consists of loamy topsoil and clay loam subsoil, and the degree of siallization is relatively low. Although the pottery excavated from the shell midden shares mostly similar features, a variety of shapes and patterns coexist. The surface colors, thickness and physical properties are slightly different. The pottery can be subdivided into three types (IA, IB and II) according to the composition of the body clay, the temper and the existence of a black core. Types IA and IB are colorless mineral pottery with a non-black or black core respectively. TypeII is colored mineral pottery with a non-black core. Type I pottery also contains non-plastic colored minerals, but type II contains a large amount of biotite, chlorite, talc, amphibole, diopside and tremolite, which include a large amount of Mg and Fe. The studied pottery contains a small amount of organic matter. Considering the grain size and relatively poor sorting and roundness of the non-plastic particles, the pottery appears to be made by adding coarse non-plastic tempers for special purposes to the untreated weathered soil around the site. The three types of pottery seem to have been incompletely fired in general. While type IB has the lowest degree of oxidation, typeII shows the highest degree of redness and oxidation. It can be interpreted that these differences depend on the firing temperature and the ratio of non-plastic particles. Through a synthesis of the minerals, geochemical data and thermal history, it can be determined that the firing temperature ranged from 600 to 700℃. The pottery types of the Daejuk-ri Shell Midden have slightly different production conditions, mineral compositions, and physical properties, but have undergone similar production processes with basically the same clay materials. The clay is almost identical to the composition of the bedrock and weathered soil distributed in the Daejuk-ri area. Currently, there is an industrial complex in the area, so it is difficult to confirm the soil and geological distribution of the site. However, it is highly probable that the area around the site was self-sufficient for the clay and tempers required for the production of the Neolithic pottery. Therefore, it can be interpreted that the group that left the shell midden in Daejuk-ri lived near the site, visited the site for the purpose of collecting and processing shellfish, and discarded the broken pottery along with shells.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.202-212
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• 1992

This study reports on the genesis and mineralogical characteristics of the clay minerals in the soils derived from the five major parent rocks of granite, granite-gneiss, limestone, shale, and basalt in Korea. The investigation on the mineralogical aspects of primary and secondary minerals of the rocks and coarse fractions in the soils have been already reported. In this report, the identification of clay minerals in the soil clay fractions was done through the analyses of chemical, X-ray diffraction, and thermal methods. The studies showed clearly that much of the clay minerals was evolved by the weathering of primary minerals and some were further developed by the transformation of secondary minerals. Cation exchange capacity(CEC) of the clay fractions increased with higher amotunts of vermiculite, chlorite, and illite, however, decreased with higher hydroxy octahedral sheet within the interlayer spaces of vermiculite even if dominant clay with vermiculite. Feldspars in the granite and granite-gneiss might be completely transformed to kaolin mineral, Illite, chlolrite, and vermiculite formed by the alteration of micas, amphibole, augite, and primary chlorile seem to be subsequently transformed to the mixed layer minerals such as illite/vermiculite, illite/chlorite, and chlorite/vermiculite. These weathering products may be ultimately transformed into kaolin minerals. The smectite minerals in the clay fractions of the soils developed on the limestone are considerably present and they seem to be formed directly by the precipitation from high Mg solution and/or by the transformation of vermiculite from micas and chlorite in the parent materials. Abundant presence of illite in the soil clays developed on the shale is considered to have inherited from the fine particles and more resistant hydrous muscovite. The weathering sequences of the hydrous muscovite were as follows according to the degree of soil development ; hydrous muscovite ${\rightarrow}$ illite/vermiculite mixed layer(Inceptisols, Daegu series) and hydrous muscovite ${\rightarrow}$ illite/vermiculite mixed layer ${\rightarrow}$ vermiculite ${\rightarrow}$ kaolin mineral(Alfisols, Buyeo series). The plagioclase in the basalt might be mostly weathered to kaolin minerais. The augite in the basalt is likely to be transformed through progressive stage of weathering, augite ${\rightarrow}$ chlorite ${\rightarrow}$ chlorote/vermiculite mixed layer ${\rightarrow}$ vermiculite ${\rightarrow}$ kaolin. Another weathering sequence of augite could be expected, augite ${\rightarrow}$ chlorite ${\rightarrow}$ illite by the presence of illite and illite/vermiculite mixed layer in the clay fractions. Vermiculite and gibbsite were quantified from thermogravimetry(TG) and kaolin minerals, from both TG and differerential thermal analysis (DTA). Vermiculite in Jangseong series from the limestone was the dominant clay mineral of 21.7 percent and had a range in the order of 9.2 percent in Buyeo series to 5.4 percent in Daegu series from the shale. The rest soils ranged from 8.8 to 28.3 percent. Kaolin minerals were the dominant clay mineral of 32.7 percent in Asan series from the granite-gneiss and Gueom series of 32.0 percent from the basalt. The soils from the limestone ranged from 9.4 to 14.9 percent. The rest soils ranged from 8.9 to 28.6 percent. Gibbsite were 3.9 and 2.3 percent for Weoljeong and Chahang series from the granite, respectively. In Asan and Cheongsan series from the giranite-gneiss were 1.4 and 4.5 percent, respectively, and 3.6 percent in Jangpa series from the basalt.