• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.160-173
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• 2013

This research aims to understand the precise character of relics based on literature search and material analysis of the jade excavated from the first buried place of King Jung-jo, and to assess the level of damage through non-destructive diagnosis. Furthermore, scientific conservation treatment was used to restore the original shape of the excavated jade. According to literature search, the excavated jade is known to be jasper, but material analysis showed that it was as a serpentine with the mineral composition of antigorite. Infrared thermography analysis to assess deterioration showed that the internal damage is the result of the interstices developed along the boundary surface of the obtained jade. For conservation treatment of the damaged area on the surface, the jade was filled with a mixture of plaster and glue, and covered with a mixture of acrylic paint and gloss medium for protection, and color was adjusted.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.160-171
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• 2019

The sword with a ring pommel, which was excavated from the first stone chamber of the ancient tombs of Jeongchon Village in Naju, is a sword with a pentagon undecorated ring pommel consisting of a mother sword and two child swords. The sword with an undecorated ring pommel of Jeongchon comprises a ring pommel, a hilt, a knife, and a knife end decoration. This sword was coated with lacquer. The ring pommel is an iron frame covered with silver plate; however the silver tarnished into a light purple due to silver chloride corrosion, and iron corrosion originated from the inside is visible on the surface. Silver chloride corrosion is produced when silver objects are exposed to water, dissolved salts, and dissolved chloride ions when in a buried state. It changes objects into powder, making it difficult to preserve original shapes. The other silver artifacts found in the Jeongchon ancient tombs show similar signs of corrosion. The results of X-ray irradiation and a CT analysis showed that the sword had a ring at the end of the handle, a T-shaped hilt, and was probably connected to the handle end of a knife. If the shape of the mother sword can be inferred from the child swords, the mother sword had a ring pommel, decorations of the handle, covered with silver plate, and a gold ring and a silver line wound around the handle. It is assumed that the ring pommel was connected to the knife by welding because no holes were observed. The end decoration of the knife was made by using an iron plate formed into a shape, half covered by silk, and the other half decorated with silver plate and a gold ring. The sword with an undecorated ring pommel excavated from the ancient tombs of Jeongchon Village comprises the metals of gold, silver, and iron, and includes features of Baekje, Silla, and Gaya, which highlights the influence of surrounding historic sites and various cultures.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.208-241
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• 2010

This study was conducted to examine the chronology of Taesil Seokham(Taesil Stone Boxes) stored in Taesil of the Joseon Palace and classify the styles to discuss how these boxes have developed. By doing so, this study defined the archaeological styles of taesil seokhams in the chronological order. Although taesil seokhams are placed when taesil are first created, they do not have any texts engraved on them and it is difficult to gain information only from examining taesil seokham. However, Taejiseok(memorial stones buried in Taesil) and Agibi(gravestones buried in Taesil) were created along with taesil. These resources were examined and compared with literature records to find when each taesil seokhams was created. The critical elements to consider for the chronological arrangement were both the cover and container of the boxes and the transition of their style could be classified into four major stages. In detail, the Joseon Dynasty's taesil seokhams initially inherited the style of the Goryeo Dynasty to be formed into rectangular boxes. Through the transition of the mid and late 15th Century, the semi-circular cover with cylindrical container became the popular style in the late 15th Century. In the late 16th Century, the style of the previous period was further developed to add some decorative elements, such as projecting ornaments, but the ornaments were added for functional purposes rather than artistic purposes. However, the style went back to the semi-circular cover with cylindrical container in the early 17th Century. From the mid 17th Century, various styles appeared with ornaments only on the cover, cone-shaped cover with no ornament, or mortar-like container. However, a new style of cone-shaped cover with ornament emerged between the early and mid 18th Century and continued to stay until the mid 18th Century. In the mid 18th Century, the cover remained unchanged, but the container became a keyhole-shaped space with one side forming a "ㄷ" shape. However, in the late 18th Century, the most typical style of the semi-circular cover with cylindrical container reappeared to show that this is the most universal style. Last, in the mid 19th Century, the cover changed from semi-circular to rectangular with flat top. After this, the taesil seokhams began to disappear. In terms of style, it can be classified into four stages. In the early Joseon Dynasty, the taesil seokhams were underdeveloped and inherited the style of the Goryeo Dynasty (Stage I; 1401~mid-15C), but Joseon's unique style began to develop from the late 15th Century (Stage II; 1477~1641). After that, partial ornaments were added for adornment (Stage III; 1660~1754), but the typical style reappeared in the late 18th Century to finally degrade in the late Joseon Dynasty of the mid 19th Century (Stage IV; 1790~1874). This arrangement of style and chronology would greatly help archaeologists anticipate the time and owner of taesil seokhams even if only taesil seokhams are discovered without any records. * Tae(胎) : Placenta and umbilical cord * Taesil(胎室) : A facility(chamber) of burying Tae(胎) in rite when royal descendants are born.