• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.37
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• pp.267-284
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• 2004

As an initial step to understand the transitions in Korean bronze technology the present study has examined metallurgical microstructures of 8 artifacts excavated from the Silla Wang-Gyong site in Kyongju. Important trends have been found in alloy compositions and also in manufacturing processes. In the design of alloys, the Sn content was apparently changing toward the peritectic point, 22 mass %, of the Cu-Sn phase diagram while the Pb addition was intentionally avoided. This trend in composition was found accompanied by the introduction, subsequent to casting, of such special thermo-mechanical treatments as quenching and forging in artifact manufacture. In addition, the Sn content in alloys containing a significant amount of As was relatively low and no evidence of forging was observed in them. The use of quenching and forging and the rejection of Pb and As from alloys are all necessary requirements if the brittle nature of high Sn alloys is to be overcome in bronze working. This paper will show that the Wang-Gyong era corresponds to that of innovations leading to the technical climax in Korean bronze tradition, which has been maintained up to the present.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.133-143
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• 2022

In this study, we analyzed the rickshaw (Owned by the Daegu Modern History Museum) by measuring each material. The purpose of the study was to identify the materials in modern cultural assets that utilize a variety of materials in a complex way, and establish basic data for preservation and management. Using portable X-ray fluorescence analyzers (P-XRF), species identification, fiber identification, paint film analysis (microscope observation, SEM-EDS, FTIR) on metal, wood, fiber and paint was carried out. Brass, an alloy of Copper, Zinc and Iron, was measured in the metal parts. Further, wooden parts, such as Oak (Quercus acutissima), Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), Bamboo (Bambusoideae). Torreya nucifera (Torreya spp.) were identified in the body. Fiber parts consisted mainly of cotton, but some parts were also made of leather. In terms of paint, rickshaws were applied with multiple layers, using cashew (synthetic paint used in place of lacquer). In sum, the rickshaw body part appeared to overlap with layers of fiber, metal (soild), paint, and colored (black, red) layer.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.30
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• pp.23-46
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• 2023

The Jija Chongtong Gun, owned by Seokdang Museum of Dong-A University, is a tubedstyle heavy weapon of the battlefield in the mid-Joseon Dynasty and is the second largest firearm after Cheonja Chongtong. The original surface color of the Jija Chongtong Gun was obscured by foreign substances and therefore it was judged that its condition requires the conservation treatment. For stable conservation treatment, gamma ray and X-ray non-destructive transmission surveys was conducted to determine the internal structure and conservation condition. And the component analysis on the material components and surface contaminants of Jija Chongtong Gun was conducted by utilizing the p-XRF component analysis, SEM-EDS component analysis, and XRD analysis. As a result of the gamma-ray and X-ray non-destructive transmission investigation, a large amount of air bubbles was observed inside Jija Chongtong Gun, and the part that appeared to be a chaplet by visual observation was not identified. As a result of gamma-ray and p-XRF component analysis, it was confirmed that Jija Chongtong Gun was bronze made of copper (Cu), tin (Sn), and lead (Pb) alloy. As a result of surface analysis of foreign substances using SEM-EDS, it was confirmed that the main components of white foreign substances were calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), and titanium (Ti). Titanium was presumed to be titanium dioxide (TiO₂), the main component of white correction fluid. The red foreign substance was confirmed to contain barium (Ba) as its main ingredient, and was presumed to be barium sulfate (BaSO₄), an extender pigment in paint. White and red contaminants, mainly composed of titanium and barium, are presumed to have been deposited on the surface in recent years. The yellow foreign substances were confirmed to be aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si), and were presumed to have originated from soil components. As a result of SEM-EDS and XRD component analysis, the white foreign substance was confirmed to be gypsum (CaS). Based on the results of component analysis, surface impurities were removed, stabilization treatment, and strengthening treatment were performed. During the conservation process, unknown inscriptions Woo (右), Byeong (兵), Sang (上), and Yi (二) were discovered through a portable microscope and precise 3D scanning. In addition, the carving method, depth, and width of the inscription were measured. Woo Byeong Sang is located above Happo Fortress in Changwon, and Yi can be identified as the second hill.