• 보존과학연구
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• s.24
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• pp.215-227
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• 2003

The gilt-bronze Sarira Reliquary was discovered when repairing three-stories east stone pagoda (Treasure No. 395) at Seungju-eup in Suncheon city in Jeollanam-do Province in August, 1986. Then it was appointed as Treasure in 1988. The Sarira Reliquary had been held in Seonamsa temple, but deterioration on the surface and corrosion had appeared affecting its surface detail. Consequently, the conservation treatment was carried out from November 2002 to March 2003.The corrosion and dirt on the surface of the Sarira Reliquary were cleaned with ethyl alcohol and Benzotriazole was applied to prevent further corrosion. Finally, NAD-10(Paraloid NAD-10), acrylic resin, was used to consolidate the structure. Moreover, after non-destructive analysis to confirm element of alloy, copper, gold, silver and mercury were discovered and this result tells us that it was plated with gold by amalgam. Fibers at the pedestal were examined under the microscope and identified as silk. The total height of this Sarira Reliquary is 6.0cm, the height of lotus pedestal and the roof is 2.7cm and 1.8cm, respectively. The roof and body are joined together, and the lotus pedestal can be separated, on which the octagonal reliquary is impaled. The pedestal consists of 3layers of petals and the surface is decorated with flower pattern. The reliquary is presumed to be created in the 14th century, and it becomes valuable historical material to reveal the secret of metal work in the late Goryeo Dynasty.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.4
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• pp.17-21
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• 2003

We performed conservation treatment for the sarira reliquary from the pagoda of Hwangnyongsa temple site. The sarira reliquary is in the shape of gilt-bronze octagonal miniature pagoda. Through radiography, it was newly proved that a radial design exists on the roof part. The gilded layer was plated with amalgam. Each part was plated first before being put together. We restored the lost parts and made supports, and then assembled it in the following order: base, upper part of the base, shaft and roof part.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.13
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• pp.59-69
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• 2012

The flower type ornament of the gilt bronze palace-type sarira reliquary among those sarira reliquaries of the East Pagoda at the Gameunssa Temple Site, which is the Treasure No. 1359 owned by the National Museum of Korea, was separated from the sarira reliquary in November 2010, thus conducting conservation treatments to be done on two items including the gilt bronze palace-type sarira reliquary during the period of March-October 2011. Those conservation treatments were carried out by following the process of removing the coated areas having excessive gross and bubbles, re-coating with Incralac, and then strengthening both the cracked areas and the separated flower-type ornaments with woven glass fiber after rejoining. For those areas where removal of gloss and bubbles at the coating and adhesive areas was not possible, the gloss and bubbles were made less perceivable through matting treatment and coloring.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.15-18
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• 2001

The sarira reliquary excavated as a lot of fragments were restored by conservation treatment by us. The sarira reliquary was made using fine techniques such as chasing work and engraving work, etc. The analysis of base metals showed that different materials had been used on decorative parts in consideration of the casting and forging technique. Gold granules $(97wt\%\;Au)$ of the small bell were adhered by using a soldering material $(85wt\%\;Au,\;10wt\%\;Ag)$. The lead isotope analysis of lead glass $(74wt\%\;PbO)$ revealed that it agreed with the lead mine in the middle of south area in Korea.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.25
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• pp.5-29
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• 2004

This research carried out ancient technique and composition of the relics recovered from the octagonal nine-storied pagoda of Woljeongsa temple using the scientific methods and obtained the following results. Firstly, The silver sarira inner case is consists of Ag, its materials comes out near 98wt%and comparing with the relics of Hwangnamdaechong, the contents of Ag and Ni are almost same with it. Secondly, The bronze sarira outer case, its contents of Cu is almost same with pure copper of which average is 99.7wt%. So, it should be named the copper sarira outer caserather than the bronze sarira outer case that has been called. Thirdly, The bronze mirror, though the contents of tin and lead are less than other contents which have been studied, they tend to have white color so they need to be made a close study. Especially, Because cultural property of nondestructive surface analytic method is not analyzed by the analysis of cross section and the moisten analysis, it may be occurred analytical errors by other factors.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.210-223
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• 2014

When sarira reliquary was found in stone pagoda of Mireuksa Temple, there were 494 gold artifacts, including inner gold pot, gold plate with inscription for Sarira enshrinement, etc. Most of gold artifacts were crafted, but there were 22 gold plates and 4 gold ingots, which did not have any specific shape. It was considered that they had not been crafted. Since gold exists as a metal rather than a metallic oxide in nature, in general, it can be crafted by melting and shaping. However, gold in nature has impurities so it has to be refined to have malleability. The characteristic features were identified through the analysis of gold artifacts from sarira reliquary found in stone pagoda of Mireuksa Temple. The analysis result showed that there were 3 types of gold; pure gold artifacts, artifacts produced with silver containing gold and natural gold ingots. Inner gold pot, gold earrings and gold small beads were produced with pure gold and they contained less than 1wt.% of copper. It seemed like they were produced as pure gold to be shaped by hammering. Gold plate with inscription, tweezers, gold earrings, ingots, etc. were produced with silver containing gold as they had to be more solid. Gold ingots seemed to be natural gold considering the distribution of silver and copper in them, but it cannot be concluded as there are not enough information on gold ingots in Korea. The comprehensive research on gold ingots from various regions in Korea has to be carried out to confirm the above. Sarira Reliquary showed the very sophisticated gold craftsmanship. Gold ingots with the inscriptions, which say 1 nyang, were approximately 14g. Considering the weight of these ingots as standard, weights of other ingots were half nyang(7g), 2 nyang(28g), etc.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.03a
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• pp.55-56
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• 2004

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.8
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• pp.71-79
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• 2007

The Conservation Science Team at National Museum of Korea has Reproduced the silk wrapper that was used the sarira reliquary found from Pagoda in the Bonginsa, in order to use it in the process of alternating the relics on display in the Hangeul(the Korean language) of the Historical Gallery. Silk fabric of the same texture as the original was used for reproduction. As for the process of dyeing silk fabric, fermented Indigo deposits was used for bluish color, while fruits of the alder trees were used to express the parts that have been faded into yellowish. The Korean characters(court style hangeul) written on the wrapper have been replicated through the use of Ink-stick.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.75-86
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• 2012

Iksan Mireuksaji Stone pagoda was built A.D. 639 when King Moo was governing Baekje, in which Sarira has been enshrined in a hole dug in the stereobate for 1,370 years. In South Korea, about 150 cases of Sarira have been found so far. In this connection, many studies have been conducted on how to manage it and on its genesis, but there have been no data on environments to which it has been exposed. In this study, accordingly, researches were made into environments to which Sarira has been exposed as well as into how much it has been damaged under the environments. Sarira in wooden pagodas was influenced greatly by water, but that in stone pagodas by saturated relative humidity. Thus, Sarira in the containers was significantly influenced by the outside temperature for 1 to 2 days, but had no any reaction to humidity. The time it took for the humidity in a Sarira container to reach its maximum, varied depending upon the humidity of the day when Sarira was enshrined. In the case of this pagoda, the humidity reached its maximum 30 days later.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.86-109
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• 2009

Mireuksa Temple was founded during the reign of King Mu of Baekje(AD 600-641). The circumstance of the construction of this temple is documented in "Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms (Samgukyusa)". The pagoda named stone pagoda at Mireuksaji temple stands outside the main sanctuary of the western area. The south and west sides of the stone pagoda have completely collapsed, leaving only the eastern facade of six of its levels intact. Through the recent discovery of sarira reliquary we can see that the erection of this pagoda was in 639. So owing to accumulation of excavation results about Baekje temple site and vigorous academic exchange, it is possible that architecture of western pagoda at Mireuksaji temple can be understood in connection with the architectural development of wooden pagoda from 6th to early 7th century in East Asia. So this study is on the consideration of building of this pagoda putting first structure of upper part and cross-shaped space in 1st floor. It was considered that the material characteristics as stone could be applied to the temple pagoda architecture of large scale. The results are as follows. First, it had been built in recognition that the outer and inner part of pagoda should be separated. As it is the expression of structural system in temple pagoda architecture of large scale at that time. In pagoda there was a self-erected structure and the members of outer part of it were constructed additionally. Second, in Mireuksaji stone pagoda there is central column with stones. With inner part of pagoda it can be regarded as mixed structural system that constitutes central contral column and inner structural part. And it could be a kind of middle step to more developed structure of whole as wooden pagodas in Japan. Third, as the sarira reliquary was in central column on the first floor, the cross-shaped space could be made. The formation of this space was so on the natural meaning of sarira that the concept as memorial service of graves could be apllied to the pagoda. The style of tomb in Baekje was expressed to the space of 1st floor in pagoda where Sarira had been mstalled. That was not only effective presentation of symbolic space but also easier method in the use of same material.