• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.3
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• pp.65-69
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• 2001

Scientific analysis are carried on gilded ornamental shoes, which have been excavated from tomb No 1. and No 4. in Beopcheon-ri, Wonju dated from Baekje Period. This object is a very important because it provides valuable information on the development of metal-making techniques of that period. Thus, this article illustrates the investigation conducted to reveal how the object was created using what materials and techniques. Instead of the spikes-attached to the bottom plate of the object-that couldn't be sampled, a sample of a decorative rivet showing a similar structure to the spikes-attached to the other parts of the shoes-was prepared for a cross-section examination. Using radiography and microscopes, it was found that the head of a spike was placed and then punched to the gilded plate, so it can be held to the shoes. Under the SEM-EDS, the cross-section of the rivet shows that the gilding layer was applied before the attachment of the rivets. It also shows that the gilding layer is distributed unevenly and there are empty spaces indicating amalgam gilding was employed. This was confirmed as Mercury was detected on the SEM-EDS analysis of the object. The examination of the microstructure of the plate using the SEM-EDS revealed that the object is made of a single copper alloy plate with recrystallized twining and non-metallic white inclusions, which found to be lead in this case.