• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.29
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• pp.65-80
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• 2023

This study investigated seven specimens of lead-glazed paving bricks in order to identify the materialistic characteristics of the lead glaze used for paving bricks during the late Unified Silla period in Korea. The samples were excavated from the Beopgwangsa Temple site, Pohang. As a result of observing the surface and cross-section of the glaze with a microscope, the study confirmed that the lead glaze demonstrates various traits of hydration, which were classified into four layers: Surface layer, hydration layer A, hydration layer B, and green layer. After measuring the composition of each layer with SEM-EDS analysis, the green layer was found to have been less affected by the external environment, which renders it highly reasonable to view the green layer as the original composition of the lead glaze. The green layer is a low-temperature glaze composed mainly of PbO and SiO₂ at a ratio of 8:2, with approximately 2% CuO acting as the main colorant. Comparing the green layer composition with those from Gyeongsang-do, it was confirmed that the mixture ratio of lead glaze materials was similar to other sites such as the Sacheonwangsa Temple site, the Cheonryongsa Temple site, and the Buseoksa Temple site.