• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.363-371
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• 2009

This study is purposed to investigate that current rubbing technique could be replaced by the photographic rubbing techniques with the photographic lighting and digital techniques. The lighting technique is based on the "texture description theory" using the electric flash and the intaglio epitaph was emphasized from the observation of the both side because it is purposed to decipher epitaph. The photographs were retouched using the photoshop to emphasize epitaph and the spots from the lichen on the tombstone were softened. Especially, it shows that faint epitaph could be deciphered if the digital techniques could be used practically even though some part of the epitaph was destroyed or peeled. Furthermore, it will help to investigate, protect and restore the cultural properties because it surely makes the recording of the material, weathering, peeling of the tombstone much easier than the current rubbing technique.