• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.521-534
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• 2016

Ancient tombs are typically comprised of confined rooms, which have different spatial characteristics than the external environment because they are covered by heavy layers of soil. In this study, we examined the thermal energy flow from the outside to inside of Songsan-ri tomb No. 6. External heat flows slowly to the inside because of heavy soil layer, and the presence of several rooms and entrances. For this reason, it takes about two months for the air temperature to travel from the outside to the inside of the tomb. Interestingly, the gradational inflow of thermal energy from outside the tomb leads to delicate horizontal and vertical variations in the wall temperature. These micro-environmental differences occur in the inner tomb every year, so we can expect them to cause condensation with regularity. In addition, we show that the previously installed forced circulation air conditioning system risks fatal damage to the mural wall painting. The results of this research suggest an optimal air conditioning system and optimized space planning to conserve Songsan-ri tomb No. 6 and its mural painting.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.148-165
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• 2017

Mural paintings drawn inside ancient tombs are very sensitive to changes in the environment such as temperature and humidity, especially the finish layer of the tomb murals differ in preservability depending on the material properties and humidity conditions. In this study, I examined the mural painting of Songsan-ri Tomb No.6, where the finish layer was made of earth, and identified the physical changes that can occur due to drying, depending on the material properties of the finish layer. I found out through particle size analysis that the finish layer of the mural painting in Songsan-ri Tomb No.6 is about 85.0wt% below silt, about 14.0wt% clay therein, mostly composed of silt and below clay. I also found out through physical property evaluation that surface change rate of samples showed the largest change at 15.5% in reproduced finish layer sample made up of bentonite, followed by 7.8% of reproduced finish layer sample made up of celadon soil, 6.3% of reproduced finish layer sample made up of loess, 6.2% of reproduced finish layer sample composed of white clay and the same order of change in appearance was confirmed in each sample consisted of soil. In addition, it showed the same trend of surface change rate, and the bentonite condition showed the largest change, in the measurement of shrinkage rate and expansion rate. The experiment shows that the finish layer composed of soil is affected by cohesion among particles according to the content of fine parts and the relationship between the agglomeration due to the content of the differentiated part and the stress due to the expansibility depending on the kind of the clay mineral etc. Therefore, it can be concluded that the physical damage occurred in the mural painting finish layer of the Songsan-ri Tomb No.6 is related to the factors such as the material characteristics of the soil and the highly humid environmental change inside the tomb.

• Bangmulgwan gwa yeongu (The National Museum of Korea Journal)
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• v.1
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• pp.120-147
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• 2024

The inscribed bricks from the Tomb of Jang Mui are unique in many ways. First, there are nearly a hundred of them. Second, there are multiples bearing the same inscriptions. Third, their production methods, including type of firing, are diverse. Fourth, the forms of the bricks are inconsistent. Fifth, the positioning of the sides with inscriptions or stamped designs and those with no designs (as well as the vertical orientation of the inscriptions) are inconsistent. Sixth, most bricks bear inscriptions written reverseds. Seventh, white lime has been painted on the surfaces of the inscribed bricks. Despite these aspects, however, a comparison with Chinese inscribed bricks from the Weijin Dynasties reveals that the inscribed bricks from the Tomb of Jang Mui are indeed connected to their counterparts and provide important materials for forging a more holistic understanding of East Asian culture. Moreover, the understanding of the inscriptions as not just a series of Chinese characters, but as textual objects with characters stamped on them, a focus on how the inscribed bricks were placed inside the tomb, and the observation of them from viewers' perspectives can help clarify the significance of the inscribed bricks from the Tomb of Jang Mui.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.169-179
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• 2014

After occurrence of Cyanobacteria in 1997, Songsan-ri tombs located in Gonju have been investigated to monitor for biological damage. The room temperature of Tomb No.6 was $18.6{\sim}19.8^{\circ}C$ and the relative humidity was 94.3~99.9%. The temperature of Royal Tomb of King Muryeong was $17.3{\sim}18.53^{\circ}C$ and the relative humidity was 73.2~96.45%. The variation of relative humidity increased after setting up air vents. If the outside temperature increases, dew condensation occurs on the floor and the north side. When conditioning equipment operates, the maximum temperature differences between walls is $2.8^{\circ}C$. Bacteria from the air of the tomb and on the surface of the walls outnumbered fungi. 20 species of fungi including Alternaria sp., Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., and 19 species of bacteria including Pseudomonas sp., Arthrobacter sp., are identified. Microbes in the tombs may damage cultural heritage. The growth possibility of microbes should be estimated because the microbes in the tombs may damage mural painting. The interrelation between microenvironmental condition and biological damage of mural painting should be researched to come up with an long-term conservation method.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.227-241
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• 2015

Fungi were isolated from mural painting in tomb no.6 at songsan-ri, Gong-ju. Antifungal susceptibility of essential oils extracted from natural medicine was tested and it confirmed applicability for mural painting in tombs. 26 species of fungi collected from air-borne and wall surfaces were identified to 15 species of Ascomycetes, 2 species of Zygomycetes, 1 of Basidiomycetes. Wheat starch and gelatin degradability were evaluated as isolated fungi. SY-18, SY-23, SY-25 showed high degradability of wheat starch. SY-18, SY-21, SY-23 were decomposed into gelatin. Biochemical characteristics of decomposing fungi to wheat starch glue and cowhide glue were analyzed by using ${\alpha}-amylase$ and gelatinase activity. An Antifungal test was conducted in Anethole and Eugenol. Anethole and Eugenol mixture(1:2) showed high antifungal susceptibility. Natural adhesives help microbial growth and can cause structural damage in mural painting. The expectation of this study is the possibility to control microbial growth in wall painting using natural essential oils. It can be used as a data for conservation method to control microbial damages.