• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.21
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• pp.53-66
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• 2019

This study describes the processes undertaken for the conservation treatment of metal artifacts excavated in Hasong-ri, Yeongwol, Gangwon-do and the results of the related surface composition analysis. X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) was applied to analyze the surface composition of a small gilt-bronze wind chime, two clappers, and a small gourd-shaped bronze bottle. The gourd-shaped bronze bottle was investigated using radiography to examine its internal structure. The wind chime and clappers were excavated from the same location. A gilt layer was identified on the wind chime, but surface corrosion made it difficult to identify any such layers on the clappers. The element analysis revealed that the wind chime was made of bronze in a Cu-Sn-Pb ternary system and was gilt-plated using mercury amalgam. The clappers were made from copper with a small amount of gold detected, but did not show any evidence of mercury. Since a thick corrosion layer was affixed to the surface of each clapper, it was impossible to identify the surface composition and determine if the clappers had been gilded. It is possible that the gold detected from the clappers was a foreign substance or had detached from the giltbronze wind chime buried alongside them. The small gourd-shaped bronze bottle was investigated through surface element analysis and radiography to verify if it was a type of silver bottle used as currency during the Goryeo dynasty. The radiography photography identified that a small hole in the middle of the base had been stopped up. The general surface analysis did not detect silver, which suggests that the bottle was made of bronze instead and was not one of the silver bottles used as a means of currency.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.17
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• pp.55-68
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• 2016

Conservation and research efforts are currently underway at the National Museum of Korea on a series of artifacts excavated from Tomb No. 9 at Seogam-ri nearly a century ago by an archaeology team from the institution's colonialera predecessor. Among these objects are a number of bronze and gilt bronze buttons. The present study explores the production techniques used in making such buttons. Both bronze and gilt bronze buttons are hemispherical in shape and are similar in external appearance. However, their shanks differ significantly in size and cross-sectional shape, some with a round cross-section while others are square. The buttons, first sorted into two groups by each type of shank, were further subdivided by size. Analysis of round shanks has found variations in design and location as well as in shank thickness. In addition, the location where round shanks attach to buttons are usually irregular in surface. Square shanks, on the other hand, are more uniform in design and location. The shanks are typically located on the backs of buttons and attach to a groove which ostensibly serves to mark the correct position. X-ray imaging has revealed that round shanks have thick borders made from metal rather than dirt or other material. The buttons themselves appear to been cast using lost-wax technique. The ways in which each shank attaches to its respective button varies based on its cross-sectional shape.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.8
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• pp.81-95
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• 2007

The Conservation Science Team of National Museum of Korea has established the data base of lead isotope ratio as the scientific research of bronze patina, which was acquired from conservation process of metal objects, and based on this result, it intends to conduct the research related to the production places of raw material for the bronze objects. As the equipment for analysis of lead isotope ratio of the bronze patina, the thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS) was used. As part of the research, in 2007, the 11 samples of the bronze Patina from the objects, believed to belong to of Nangnang(Lelang), the 6 items of bronze patina from the flower-shaped bronze dishes, belong to Unified Silla period and 4 items from the Goryeo bronze bell were acquired and analyzed the lead isotope ratio. Based on the data of the lead isotope ratio from the galena of Korea, China and Japan, the provenance raw materials were estimated through the comparison of their lead isotope ratios. In the future, the Conservation Science Team of the National Museum of Korea will collect as much bronze patina as possible from the process of conservation treatment of metal objects, and analyze them in order to conduct the study of provenance with the type, period and the region of the objects.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.355-366
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• 2013

Diverse scientific analyses, including microstructure, ICP-AES, SEM-EDS, and P-XRF(Bench Top type and Gun type), were carried out on 6 bronze artefacts which handed from generation to generation. Also, we attempted to study applicability for authenticity of the bronze artefacts using scientific analyses based on the specific element. The results of ICP-AES analysis showed that the bronze were formed from an alloy of Cu, Sn, Pb with trace elements such as Ag, As, Co, Fe, but there were not Zn found. The result of P-XRF are 10~25% lower in Cu and 10~20% higher in Sn than that of ICP-AES. This is because of destannification that the compound of $SnO_2$ are present on the surface. The results of SEM-EDS represented that there is lead segregation. It was difficult to study applicability for authenticity of bronze artefact according to the microstructures and chemical components of the bronze artefacts. Therefore, as bronze artefacts have shown different corrosion materials depending on the buried environment and conserving environment, identifying the authenticity would be possible on the basis of the additional researches on the corrosion and comparative research of ancient art.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.92-107
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• 2018

In 2013~2016, gilt-bronze shoes were excavated from the ancient tombs in Jeongchon Village located at Bogam-ri, Dasi-myeon in Naju. They are estimated to have been made in the late 5th or early 6th centuries. The gilt-bronze shoes are significant in that they serve to explicate the relationship between the center of Baekje and the local forces in the Yeongsan River Basin. This study's specific focus was the gilt-bronze shoes from the ancient tombs in Jeongchon Village. Based on the findings, a restoration drawing was designed and restored products were manufactured by considering metalwork techniques used to manufacture the original ones. At first, manufacturing techniques were tested by using a scientific analysis and visual observation. The manufacturing method, structures, and patterns of the gilt-bronze shoes were closely examined. Then, a design drawing of gilt-bronze shoes was created through field measurement and they were recreated on the basis of the analysis. The original form of the restored products were manufactured through cutting out the outward form, bore carving, engraving, molding, plating, and an assembly process. In the restoration process, this study examined the formal characteristics of gilt-bronze shoes, manufacturing techniques, and archetypes during Baekje's late Hanseong era. Products restored from this study are expected to be used as achievements for more easily understanding the culture of Baekje.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.219-226
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• 2021

We examined component analysis and lead isotope ratio analysis to find out the relationship between the excavation and the production site of 25 bronze weapons from prehistoric ages. All 25 bronze weapons are ternary alloys of copper-tin-lead and lead is artificially added. The lead isotope ratios of 25 bronze weapons show that bronze are made by raw materials in the southern regions of the Korean Peninsula, including northern China. The raw materials of narrow-shaped bronze dagger are supplied in zone 1-3 and northern China. In addition, provenance of lead for bronze halberd and pearhead are the rest of the region except for zone 1 and zone 4. Silver are enriched in most samples and zinc and cobalt are deficient. Arsenic and antimony detected only specific samples and can be used as critical parameter for provenance study. Lead isotopes and trace elements of archaeological bronzes will provide conservation scientist with useful tool to study the provenance of raw materials

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.149-149
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• 2006

• Proceedings of the Korean Ceranic Society Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.88.2-88
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• 2003

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.95-98
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• 2006

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.20
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• pp.23-30
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• 2007

By analyzing the chemical compositions of bronze mirror presumably excavated from Mireuksaji temple site, Iksan, we have surveyed what alloy composition was used in casting the mirror, and also tried to estimate the manufacturing technique of the bronze mirror, through the observation of microstructure, as well as which region$^{\circ}{\emptyset}s$ galena the lead used in the mirror belonged to, by analyzing the ratio of the lead isotope. The content analysis result of bronze mirrors shows that it consists of 68.8 to 73.3wt% of Cu, 21.6 to 24.9wt% of Sn. In particular, the content of Pb of Mireuk 2 and 3 Samples are higher than those of Miruk 4. The observation result of microstructure demonstrates that Mireuk 2 and 3 consist of ${\alpha}$ and ${\alpha}+{\delta}$ eutectoide phase made through casting process. But Mireuk 4 show other process employed, such as quenching though martensite structure. In the analysis result of provenance though the lead isotope ratio, the origin of the used in bronze millers excavated from Mireuksaji temple site is presumed to be from galenas of Japen, like this those, the chemical competition, microstructure, and lead isotope ratio of bronze mirrors excavated from Mireuksaji can be utilized at fundamental data to compare mutually with other remains.