Studies on the Restoration of Ancient Bridge Setakarahashi -Conservation and Display for Large Size Waterlogged Wood-

고대 세다당교의 보존처리 - 대형출토목재의 보존과 전시 -

This paper deals with the restoration of ancient wooden bridge foundation which excavated in Seta river Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Shiga Archeological Research started a marine archeological investigation of the bridge foundation in 1987. The bridge foundation stricture excavated and have since then recovered about a lots of woods and another materials. The bridge foundation structure constructed log, timbers and stones. The species of those waterlogged wood were identified as two types, hardwood and softwood. Hardwood(log : Cyclobalanopsis) was used for below foundation and softwood (timber' Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl. Cupreessaceae) was used for base structure. One of those timber sample dated by dendrochronology, we asked Dr. Misutani*. The softwood gave a felling date of 567 A.D. In result, the ancient Seta bridge foundation structure had constructed between Asuka and Nara period. We healed the news that ancient bridge foundation excavated at Woljyongyo site in Kyongju, Korea 1987. The bridge foundation Setakarahashi is similar in plane and structure to Woljyongyo structures. The Woljyongyo site report had be of value for reference. We had planning to restore those woods. Hardwood log was got serious damage. The water content varies from 400 to $600\%$. The other timbers water content varies about $200\%$. In the Shiga Center for Archaeological Operations and the Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum, we set up the PEG impregnation tank. Those wooden objects treated by PEG method. PEG with a molecular weight of 4000. The treatment results may be considered satisfactory. The ancient wooden Seta bridge was reconstructed in Biwako Museum which established in Oct. 1996. We must take care of indoor exhibition environments. (*Nara National Cultual Properties Research Institute).