• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 1999

More than 200 objects selected for the newly-opened Kimhae National Museum were treated for conservation. The objects which represent ancient Kaya culture, were mainly composed of metallic such as gilt bronze, silver, copper alloy and iron. The corrosion products on gilt bronze and copper alloy objects were preserved or removed according to their stability. Minimum treatment was done for preserving the original state of the objects. For silver objects and iron objects with silver-plate decorations, silver surfaces were revealed after treatment of corrosion products and treatments to prevent corrosion of silver and iron were done emphatically. For iron objects, which were stabilized, the original shape of objects was restored and acrylic coating was applied to prevent further corrosion. For the objects which were being corroded, 2-step de-chloride treatments were undertaken. The first step was immersing the objects in a solution of 0.3M sodium hydroxide and the second was the pressure de-chloride treatment using borax-distilled water. The main purpose of those treatments was to get rid of the causes of corrosion. Besides, conservation treatments for potteries, making of special mounting board for exhibition and amendment of various modeling were done too.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.259-271
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• 2018

Outdoor copper alloy is exposed to the atmospheric environment, accelerating corrosion progress compared with indoor copper alloy. In order to prevent corrosion, the outdoor copper alloy is coated with wax to block external corrosion factors. However, corrosion of the inside of the coating film is highly likely to continue without the internal corrosion prevention treatment. B.T.A, which is used as a copper alloy water-soluble corrosion inhibitor, has a high possibility of being harmful to the human body and is mainly used to treat excavated artifacts. This study had selected the water-soluble corrosion inhibitor, which was easier to use than the existing wax and B.T.A being used in corrosion inhibition treatment for outdoor copper alloy. A comparative study was conducted on B.T.A, which is a water-soluble corrosion inhibitor used on excavated artifacts, and $VCI^{(R)}$, $Rus^{(R)}$, and L-cys, an amino acid corrosion inhibitor, used for tin bronze test pieces. The experimental method was conducted for a certain period of time with the salt, acid, and air pollution affecting the corrosion of outdoor copper alloy. Based on experiment results, it was concluded that the best water - soluble copper alloy corrosion inhibitor in the atmospheric environment is $VCI^{(R)}$. and it could be considered to be applied in replacement of B.T.A due to its low harmfulness. In addition, $VCI^{(R)}$ is judged to serve as a corrosion inhibitor for outdoor copper alloy because it showed the best result even in the outdoor exposure test which is a real atmospheric environment.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.224-243
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• 2014

This study examined the materials and casting technology(cast, alloy, etc.) used in the manufacturing of bronze artifacts based on old literature such as Yongjae Chonghwa, Cheongong Geamul, and The Korea Review. In the casting experiment for restoration of Sangpyong Tongbo, a bronze and brass mother coin mold was made using the sand mold casting method described in The Korea Review. The cast was comprised of the original mold plate frame, wooden frame, and molding sand. Depending on the material of the outer frame, which contains the molding sand, the original mold plate frame can be either a wooden frame or steel frame. For the molding sand, light yellow-colored sand of the Jeonbuk Iri region was used. Next, the composition of the mother alloy used in the restoration of Sangpyong Tongbo was studied. In consideration of the evaporation of tin and lead during actual restoration, the composition of Cu 60%, Zn 30%, and Pb 10% for brass as stated in The Korea Review was modified to Cu 60%, Zn 35%, and Pb 15%. For bronze, based on the composition of Cu 80%, Sn 6%, and Pb 14% used for Haedong Tongbo, the composition was set as Cu 80%, Sn 11%, and Pb 19%. The mother coin mold was restored by first creating a wooden father coin, making a cast from the wooden frame and basic steel frame, alloying, casting, and making a mother coin. Component analysis was conducted on the mother alloy of the restored Sangpyong Tongbo, and its primary and secondary casts. The bronze mother alloy saw a 5% increase in copper and 4% reduction in lead. The brass parent alloy had a 5% increase in copper, but a 4% and 12% decrease in lead and tin respectively. Analysis of the primary and secondary mother coin molds using an energy dispersive spectrometer showed that the bronze mother coin mold had a reduced amount of lead, while the brass mother coin mold had less tin. This can be explained by the evaporation of lead and tin in the melting of the primary mother coin mold. In addition, the ${\alpha}$-phase and lead particles were found in the mother alloy of bronze and brass, as well as the microstructure of the primary and secondary coin molds. Impurities such as Al and Si were observed only in the brass mother coin mold.

• 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.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.30
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• pp.101-126
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• 2023

Bogjeon chongtong, a military firearm from the Joseon Dynasty, remains undocumented with extant ones only discovered relatively recently. This study examined the structural and material characteristics of the bogjeon chongtong by comparing the specifications, shapes, inscriptions, and components of 12 pieces of bogjeon chongtong, which have not been described in detail to date. Bogjeon chongtong has certain set properties in terms of its specifications and shapes. This study also estimated the number of projectiles fired at once by comparing the specifications and records. In terms of design, the handle slot has an outline engraved in relief along with the name of the artifact. The inscribed outline is the most notable feature of the bogjeon chongtong that is not seen in other chongtong artifacts. Therefore, this study analyzed the inscription techniques used in the production process. The main ingredients of bogjeon chongtong are copper and tin, with a tin content of 6wt%. It was confirmed that this is highly similar to the average composition of bronze gunpowder weapons of the Joseon Dynasty as identified in prior research, and that it is also similar to the bronze gunmetal of medieval Europe. These conclusions were drawn in consideration of the material properties required for gunpowder weapons, which allows the inference that the materials used for firearms were selected by prioritizing functionality based on the alloy ratio.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.27
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• pp.83-102
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• 2006

The Suchon-ri tomb No. 1 is the earliest one among the Suchon-ri tombs excavated in 2003. The Suchon-ri tomb No. 1 yielded a number of valuable artifacts furnished with burial goods such as gilt bronze items of a crown, a pair of earrings and shoes and a loop-handled sword with inlaid silver decoration. In particular, a loop-handled sword drew scholarly attention in that it showed characteristics of Baekje such as wave patterns on a silver plate decorated in the handle and sheath and inlaid dragon design on the loop-handle. In the process of the reproducing the loop-handled sword, classification methods of the loop-handled swords, iconography decorated on the swords, unearthed loop-handled swords of the Three Kingdoms Period have been investigated along with studying the reproduction cases in Japan. In addition to the study focused on the shape of the swords, manufacturing techniques have been thoroughly analyzed through scientific methods. Finally, based on the synthesis of a series of studies and analyses, traditional manufacturing techniques employed by Baekje artisans had been inferred and a replica of the loop-handled sword was manufactured with the traditional methods.

• KOMUNHWA
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• no.70
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• pp.35-62
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• 2007

Songguk-ri site gained academic recognition by the excavation of stone coffin tomb with a bronze dagger in 1974. And it is confirmed that this site is epoch-making in Korean bronze age through the following excavation started in 1975. But the excavation reports published until now do not have even overall view of this site, thus it is difficult to get the whole picture of this site. Thus, in this paper the author reexamined all reports on this site and by making the map of overall view and distribution of archaeological features as a basic research. Moreover, I analyzed also artifacts from this site, and compared with the recent papers written by other researchers about the chronology and character. Songguk-ri site has livelihood domain which consists of dwelling pits, attached features, storage pits, pot-firing features, wood fence, abatises, buildings above ground, as well as cemetery which consists of stone-coffins, jar-coffins, pit tombs. Trace of making large terrace was also excavated. These features seem to belong to the same archaeological stage, dated about B.C.850-550, according to C14 dating. On the other hand, the intensification of wet-rice cultivation made this group more productive. Based on this financial strength, some influential group emerged they constructed defensive settlement to protect their products safely. Besides it seems that there were frequent occurrence of conflicts. However, we can know that they kept their stable life, through the expansion of living space. Consequently, Songguk-ri site played a role of the summit among some settlement in this area.

• KOMUNHWA
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• no.69
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• pp.63-89
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• 2007

The Archaeological sites of so called Round Clay Rim Pottery (Jeomtodaetogi : 점토대토기) culture in Kangwon region have been rarely excavated in proper form. Since most cases belong to those of ground surface gatherings, it is difficult to certify the nature and the association with other artifacts. Therefore, researches on that culture have been limited to simply set the chronological order in the Bronze Age in realtion with the Plain Pottery culture. However, a comparative study trying to explain the Round Clay Rim Pottery culture in both Yeongseo(영서) and Yeongdong(영동) has become possible thanks to recent excavation results from the sites of Chilgeon-dong(칠전동) in Chunchon City(춘천시) and Songrim-ri(송림리) in Kangneung City(강릉시), for example. Certain difference can be observed in form and amount of artifacts in between Yeongseo and Yeongdong. Such difference can be seen as individual localization in different places diffused from a common source, rather than showing different stages of unilineal developmental process of one culture. The Round Clay Rim Pottery culture seems to have been coexisted with the Rim-Perforated Pottery(공렬토기) and Dolmen(지석묘) culture. According to the radiocarbondatings, the upper time limit of the Round Clay Rim Pottery culture goes back considerably beyond the alleged upper limit of either the late fourth century or the second century B.C.. However, both cultures absorbed into the Iron Culture during the same period.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.109-120
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• 2010

Four gilded bronze objects and a gilded silver object were examined for elemental diffusion between the gilding layer and the mating matrix. The gilded bronzes consist of three objects from three different historical periods, the Korean Three Kingdoms period, the Koryo and the Choseon periods and one from an unknown period. The gilded silver was from the Koryo period. The amalgam process seems to have been the major technique employed for all of them in gilding. The occurrence of substantial diffusion was observed in all but the anonymous object, particularly in the Choseon artifact where evidence was found that the diffusion phenomenon was intentionally utilized in gilding. The gold content in the gilded bronzes decreases gradually from surface to interior while the copper content increases to the interior, making it difficult to locate the boundary between the gilding layer and the matrix. This gradual change in composition must have resulted from elemental diffusion at elevated temperatures. The oxygen content negligible in the gilding layer precludes the possibility of corrosion being responsible for the varying composition. It is observed that non-uniform diffusion caused variation of colors in the surface of gilded bronzes. The change of colors induced by diffusion, which is always accompanied by the unique surface morphology and chemical compositions, is distinguished from the color change by corrosion. In the gilded silver object, diffusion of mercury was observed along with that of gold and silver.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2014

This paper studied the materials of the furniture which the noble men used in Goryeo, based on the furniture material category of solid wood furniture, lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl and hardware. As for the solid wood furniture, the wood and furniture types are inferred based on the documents. The trees used for the wood furniture were zelkova, korean willow, pine, royal paulownia, maidenhair tree, korean pine, chinese juniper and elm. The furniture types were table, chair, wooden bench, small portable table, writing table, and folding screen. As to the types of lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, most of them were hams with top, which were made of abalone shells. The features of the lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl were in detail and elaborate like the pattern of the full bloomed chrysanthemum. Writing tables were also made of lacquerware as pieces of furniture. Distinctively, the mother-of-pearl furniture material was popular enough to be used even in a horse saddle. Regarding the metal feldspar used as both a practical use and decoration, there are drop handle, hinge, the front basis, and lock seen in the artifacts, which were made of cast iron, bronze, and brass. Their manufacture techniques were eojamoon, bratticing and sheet metal. Through this study of the furniture materials used in Goryeo, it seems that Goryeo furniture focused on the functions rather than on the decorations, and in turn the forms were simple and basic. The technique of mother-of-pearl, a bit elaborate one, was used in the props furniture like kitchen wares, hams, or writing talbes. Probably, the solid wood is inferred to be used in a low wooden bench, a chair, and a table based on the documents.