• Title/Summary/Keyword: Excavated Artifacts

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A study on traditional Korean pillow manufacturing methods - On the restoration of Jatbagae and Yukgolbegae - (한국 전통베개의 제작법에 관한 연구 - 잣베개와 육골베개 재현을 중심으로 -)

  • Park, Young Ae;Park, Sun Mi
    • Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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    • v.23 no.4
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    • pp.105-116
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    • 2021
  • Pillows are tools that humans have used for a long time to sleep or lie down and rest. It is bedding, and the oldest literature dealing with it is Volume 29 of 'GoryeoDogyeong', which describes embroidered pillows. The oldest relic is the queen's pillow (National Treasure No. 164) excavated from the tomb of King Muryeong, and is in the Gongju National Museum. This study attempts to investigate and reproduce the materials used in traditional pillows Yukgol pillows and pine nut pillows designs are based on literature and artifacts from the Joseon period to modern times. Regarding the research method, after reviewing literature and the relics of traditional pillows, the process of reproducing the traditional Yukgol pillow and the pine nut pillow production method were explained step by step. This study found the plain attitudes in the lives of people who used materials that could be easily gained from their daily lives in rural communities oriented to rice farming never recklessly threw out any piece of cloth or cotton and use it for pillow stuffing or pillow ends. Also, the sophisticated sense of aesthetics that you can see from the pine nut pillows, whose ends were made of remnants from making clothing are exquisitely similar to what was shown in patchwork previously. The biggest meaning of restoring traditional pillows was looking into traditional culture, particularly the ordinary people's living culture. It was very difficult because the researcher had to find materials that were difficult to obtain in this age, the making process was complex, and it took much time; however, it is significant in that the restoration of traditional pillows allows for the succession of tradition.

A Study on the Locations of Jagiso and Dogiso in Najumok Recorded in the 'Sejongsylrok Jiliji' (『세종실록(世宗實錄)』 「지리지(地理志)」 나주목(羅州牧)의 자기소(磁器所)·도기소(陶器所) 위치 연구)

  • Sung, Yun-gil
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.52 no.3
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    • pp.4-37
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    • 2019
  • Buncheong Ware, which was produced for approximately 200 years from the end of the Goryeo Dynasty to the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty, was used for royal house and state affairs during the early Joseon Dynasty. Records of Buncheong Ware can be found with Jagiso and Dogiso, considered the place of production, in the 'Sejongsylrok jiliji'. This is notable, unlike celadon and white porcelain. However, compared to Gyeongsangnam-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do, the study of Jagiso and Dogiso in Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do has been unsatisfactory. In this paper, we examined the locations of Jagiso and Dogiso in the Jeollanam-do prefecture. This study is focused on Najumok, located in the western part of Jeollanam-do. The following research results were obtained: First, the locations of Jagiso and Dogiso in nine areas were examined. These nine areas comprised Najumok and its immediate provinces of Haejingun, Yeongamgun, Yeonggwanggun, Hampyeonghyeon, Muanhyeon, Gochanghyeon, Heungdeokhyeon and Jangseonghyeon. Previous research results exist for some of the regions; however, only Buncheong Ware was used to estimate Jagiso and Dogiso. In this paper, we tried to discover a more accurate position of Jagiso and Dogiso through a comparison of the place names recorded in the 'Sejongsylrok jiliji' and the place names recorded in the 'Hoguchoungsu'. Also, pottery-related area names and Buncheong Ware obtained from the field survey were reviewed. Table 2 shows the specific positions of Jagiso and Dogiso in the areas examined. Second, it would appear that pottery was produced not only in Jagiso but also in Dogiso. This is because much of Buncheong Ware was unearthed in Najumok, Yeongamgun, and Muanhyeon Dogiso. However, it was only excavated from the Buncheong Kiln Site in Yucheon Village, Sangweol-ri, Yeongam-gun; there could be limitations regarding to the rest of the areas because only a field survey was conducted, not an excavation. A recent excavation at Donggok Village in Cheongdo-ri, Gimje also confirmed a Buncheong Kiln Site. There were two Buncheong Ware ('公', '上') artifacts excavated from the site, believed to be Gongnapjagi. In addition, Cheongdo-ri, where the Buncheong Kiln Site is located, was found to be an area in Wurimgokmyeon, a former Wurimgok at a Dogiso in Jeonjubu. Consequently, it would seem that Dogiso also produced porcelain (Buncheong Ware). If more data can be obtained from the excavations at sites considered to be Dogiso, the results of Dogiso-related research will be strengthened. Third, in previous surveys, field surveys and excavation surveys were based on estimates using artifacts, but the name of the location of the Jagiso and Dogiso may be confirmed more accurately by tracking the changes in the names of the administrative areas. Therefore, although it is important to conduct research using the results of surveys or excavations, changes in the place names or places related to porcelain must not be overlooked.

Japan's excitement over the discovery of Gyeongju Geumgwanchong (Gold Crown Tomb) seen through high school textbooks published in 1922 during Japanese colonial period of Joseon (Korea) - Newly Excavated Artifacts of Gyeongju (濱田耕作: Kosaku Hamada) - (1922년 발행 고등보통학교 교과서를 통해 본 경주 금관총 발견에 따른 일본의 반응 - 경주의 신발굴품(濱田耕作: 하마다 코사쿠) -)

  • YOO, Woo Sik
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.55 no.1
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    • pp.199-222
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    • 2022
  • It has been 100 years since the excavation of Geumgwanchong (Gold Crown Tomb), a tomb that was accidentally discovered in Noseo-ri, Gyeongju at the end of September 1921 during Japanese colonial rule. Although it is known for its discovery, not only in the Korean Peninsula but also in Asia and beyond, the excavation report was published in Japanese and English by the Government-General of Korea in 1924 and 1928, three years after the excavation. TOMB "KINKANTSUKA" or THE GOLD CROWN TOMB at KEISHU, AND ITS TREASURES) was published as a series of books and picture books. The excavation report was prepared by Kosaku Hamada (濱田耕作), who was a member of the Ruins Investigation Committee of the Japanese Government-General of Korea (later became the President of Kyoto Imperial University, Kyoto, Japan), and Sueji Umehara (梅原末治), who was commissioned to investigate the remains of the Japanese Government-General of Korea. In this paper, the preface was written in July 1922, about half a year after the excavation of tombs, which was much earlier than the official reports, in the 'Korean and Chinese reading book (稿本 高等朝鮮語及漢文讀本 巻五)' by Hamada Kosaku (濱田耕作) for high school students in Korea, which was titled 'New Excavated Artifacts in Gyeongju (慶州의 新發掘品)' with a subtitle '絶大의 發見', a slightly awkward expression in Korean, but it means 'a very big discovery'. The meaning has been introduced as a single unit, emphasizing its significance in terms of the achievements of the excavation of Geumgwanchong, academic and archaeological discoveries, and cultural history in Korean language rather than Japanese language. Since the manuscript was written immediately after the excavation, the excitement as an archaeological researcher at the time of the excavation and expectations for future research can be read as it is. In this paper, I would like to introduce the voice of the excited field leader of the Japanese Government-General of Korea after the excavation of Geumgwanchong in 2022, the 100th anniversary of the writing. In addition, the process from the discovery of the tomb to the preparation of the report was summarized in one chronological table to make it easier to understand the series of flows.

An Archaeological Review of the Inscribed Bricks Excavated from the Tomb of Jang Mui: A Focus on the Collection of the National Museum of Korea (장무이묘 출토 명문전(銘文塼)의 고고학적 검토 -국립중앙박물관 소장품을 중심으로)

  • Lee Nakyung
    • Bangmulgwan gwa yeongu (The National Museum of Korea Journal)
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    • v.1
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    • pp.36-73
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    • 2024
  • The Tomb of Jang Mui located in Bongsan-gun, Hwanghae-do Province has attracted much attention since its first investigation due to the inscribed bricks found there that have allowed the guessing of the name and official title of its occupant and construction date. Inscriptions on these bricks, such as the "Prefect of Daebang Commandery Jang Mui" and the "Mu" (戊, the fifth sign of the Chinese calendar), and "Sin" (申, the ninth sign of the Chinese zodiac), have become the basis for believing the location of the government office of Daebang Commandery to be in Bongsangun, Hwanghae-do Province rather than somewhere in the Hangang River region. From the early days of its investigation, the tomb was suggested as historic remains of the Daebang Commandery along with the Earthen Fortress in Jitap-ri. Inscribed bricks excavated from the Tomb of Jang Mui were featured in several books and articles in the form of photographs and rubbings, leading to a vast body of studies on its construction period and the characteristics of its occupant that drew upon interpretations of the inscriptions. However, the inscribed bricks themselves were not publicly available outside those held in the collection of the University of Tokyo, making it difficult to expect consistent research findings on the types of inscribed bricks and their contents. Following previous studies re-examining the structure of the tomb and the materials used for its construction, most scholars dated the Tomb of Jang Mui to 348, a period after the collapse of Daebang Commandery. However, there is still a lack of adequate examination of the bricks, which account for the majority of the artifacts excavated from the tomb. Among the bricks excavated from most brick chamber tombs, including the Tomb of Jang Mui, only those with inscriptions or designs have been collected. Moreover, among these, only those with inscriptions or designs on the stretcher faces have been documented. Accordingly, the bricks themselves have been notably understudied. This paper intends to reorganize the contents of the inscriptions on eleven types (out of sixty-one pieces) of bricks in the collection of the National Museum of Korea, which make up the majority of the bricks excavated from the Tomb of Jang Mui. It also classified them according to their shapes. Furthermore, it examined the bricks from the Tomb of Jang Mui as architectural materials by focusing on their production techniques, including their forming, drying, and firing. Taking a more specific approach, it then compared the results to other bricks from the second century through the fourth century: those from the brick chamber tombs of the Nangnang and Daebang Commanderies and those from the brick chamber tombs built after Nangnang and Daebang Commanderies were ousted. The examination of bricks from the Tomb of Jang Mui has revealed that these bricks were basically produced using the brick manufacturing techniques of Nangnang, but they incorporated new elements found in bricks from brick chamber tombs or brick-and-stone chamber tombs constructed around the mid-fourth century in terms of their size, the use of lime, and the number of inscribed bricks. This supports the prevailing view that the date of the construction of the Tomb of Jang Mui is 348. The Tomb of Jang Mui sustained the existing brick chamber tomb burial tradition, but its ceiling was finished with stone. It demonstrates a blending of the brick chamber tomb practice of the Nangnang and Daebang Commanderies by using bricks produced based on related techniques, but with new elements such as the addition of a lime layer to the bricks. This fusion reflects the political circumstances of its time, such as the expulsion of the Daebang Commandery and the advance of the Goguryeo Kingdom, leading to diverse interpretations. Given archaeological evidence such as the structure, materials, and location of the tomb, the Tomb of Jang Mui appears to be highly related to the Goguryeo Kingdom. However, the forms of the inscribed bricks and the contents of the inscriptions share similarities with brick chamber tombs constructed during the third and fourth centuries in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions in China. Further studies on whether the use of lime was an influence from Goguryeo or a continuation of the Daebang tradition and a comparative examination with contemporaneous stone ceiling tombs will provide a more refined understanding of the Tomb of Jang Mui.

A STUDY ON THE JUJEON OF AUTOMATIC CLEPSYDRA IN EARLY JOSEON DYNASTY (조선 전기 자동물시계의 주전(籌箭) 연구)

  • YUN, YONG-HYUN;KIM, SANG HYUK;MIHN, BYEONG-HEE;OH, KYONG TAEK
    • Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.65-78
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    • 2021
  • Jagyeokru, an automatic striking water clock described in the Sejong Sillok (Veritable Records of King Sejong) is essentially composed of a water quantity control device and a time-signal device, with the former controlling the amount or the flow rate of water and the latter automatically informing the time based on the former. What connects these two parts is a signal generating device or a power transmission device called the 'Jujeon' system, which includes a copper rod on the float and ball-racked scheduled plates. The copper products excavated under Gongpyeong-dong in Seoul include a lot of broken plate pieces and cylinder-like devices. If some plate pieces are put together, a large square plate with circular holes located in a zigzag can be completed, and at the upper right of it is carved 'the first scheduled plate (一箭).' Cylinder-like devices generally 3.8 cm in diameter are able to release a ball, and have a ginkgo leaf-like screen fixed on the inner axis and a bird-shaped hook of which the leg fixes another axis and the beak attaches to the leaf side. The lateral view of this cylinder-like device appears like a trapezoid and mounts an iron ball. The function of releasing a ball agrees with the description of Borugak Pavilion, where Jagyeokru was installed, written by Kim Don (1385 ~ 1440). The other accounts of Borugak Pavilion's and Heumgyeonggak Pavilion's water clocks describe these copper plates and ball releasing devices as the 'Jujeon' system. According to the description of Borugak Pavilion, a square wooden column has copper plates on the left and right sides the same height as the column, and the left copper plate has 12 drilled holes to keep the time of a 12 double-hours. Meanwhile, the right plate has 25 holes which represent seasonal night 5-hours (Kyeong) and their 5-subhours (Jeom), not 12 hours. There are 11 scheduled plates for seasonal night 5-hours made with copper, which are made to be attached or detached as the season. In accordance with Nujutongui (manual for the operation of the yardstick for the clepsydra), the first scheduled plate for the night is used from the winter solstice (冬至) to 2 days after Daehan (大寒), and from 4 days before Soseol (小雪) to a day before the winter solstice. Besides the first scheduled plate, we confirm discovering a third scheduled plate and a sixth scheduled plate among the excavated copper materials based on the spacing between holes. On the other hand, the width of the scheduled plate is different for these artifacts, measured as 144 mm compared to the description of the Borugak Pavilion, which is recorded as 51 mm. From this perspective, they may be the scheduled plates for the Heumgyeonggak Ongru made in 1438 (or 1554) or for the new Fortress Pavilion installed in Changdeokgung palace completed in 1536 (the 31st year of the reign of King Jungjong) in the early Joseon dynasty. This study presents the concept of the scheduled plates described in the literature, including their new operating mechanism. In addition, a detailed model of 11 scheduled plates is designed from the records and on the excavated relics. It is expected that this study will aid in efforts to restore and reconstruct the automatic water clocks of the early Joseon dynasty.

Four Heavenly Kings Statues of Hoeamsa in the Early Joseon Dynasty: Seen Through Clay-Fragments Excavated From the Yangju Hoeamsa Site (양주 회암사지(楊州 檜巖寺址) 4단지 문지 출토 소조편(塑造片)을 통해 본 회암사 사천왕상)

  • SHIM, Yeoungshin
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.54 no.3
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    • pp.168-191
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    • 2021
  • This article examines the shape, iconography, and creation date of the Four Buddhist Heavenly Kings (Sacheonwang 四天王) enshrined in the Heavenly Kings' Gate (Cheonwangmun 天王門) of Hoeamsa in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province during the early Joseon Dynasty. First, small fragments of clay decoration excavated from a fourth-platform gate site of the Hoeamsa Temple Site in Yangju Gyeonggi Province were analyzed and compared to other Four Heavenly Kings enshrined in the (Cheonwangmun gates) during the Joseon Dynasty. In addition, the size and shape of the gate were compared to other Cheonwangmun gates constructed during the Joseon Dynasty. Results revealed that the excavated fragments were part of the armor of Sacheonwang, and the clay-standing statues enshrined in the fourth-platform gate of Hoeamsa Temple would be proportional in size to those of Beopjusa Temple in Boeum, South Chungcheong Province. The flame-type pieces, which decorated the Heavenly King's crown in the Joseon Dynasty, and the rectangular-type pieces were not found in artifacts from the Goryeo Dynasty. Therefore, the Sacheonwang sculptures of the Hoeamsa Temple were likely made in the late 15th century in the early Joseon Dynasty. A detailed iconography of the Sacheonwang of Hoeamsa is presumedly based on the Buddhist paintings and illustrations of Buddhist scriptures (Gyeongbyeonsangdo 經變相圖)from the late Goryeo and early Joseon. During the late Goryeo Dynasty and early Joseon Dynasty, Traditional iconography from Goryeo and new iconography from Ming coexisted. However, in the late 15th century, the Sacheonwang statues of the early Joseon Dynasty had many different elements from those of the Goryeo Dynasty and were similar to those enshrined in Cheonwangmun Gate during the Joseon Dynasty. The Four Heavenly Kings of Hoeamsa Temple, believed to have been produced in the late 15th century, has historical significance in the following points. They were the first Joseon Sacheonwang statues example enshrined in the Cheonwangmun gate. In addition, they were established as a new tradition that influenced the iconography of the Four Heavenly Kings during the Joseon Dynasty.

Material Characteristics and Provenance Interpretation of the Stone Moulds for Bronze Artifacts from Galdong Prehistoric Site, Korea (완주 갈동유적 출토 청동기 용범의 재질특성 및 산지해석)

  • Lee, Chan-Hee;Kim, Ji-young;Han, Su-Young
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.38
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    • pp.387-419
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    • 2005
  • Material characteristics and provenance interpretation of the raw materials for the stone moulds of bronze artifacts excavated in Galdong Prehistoric site were studied. The stone moulds are made of igneous hornblendite with coarse-grained holocrystalline textures. The surface color shows greenish grey to dark green with greasy luster. The value of magnetic susceptibility of the moulds ranges from 19.2 to 71.0 (mean ; $39.2{\times}10^{-3}$ SI unit).High value of magnetic susceptibility indicates high contents of magnetite as a ferromagnetic mineral and the wide range of the values are due to heterogeneous distribution of magnetite. These are characteristics of basic igneous rocks. The rock-forming minerals of the moulds mainly consist of amphibole, plagioclase and biotite. Pyroxene, chlorite and opaque minerals are also rarely present. A large quantity of carbon was detected on the dark black crust near the surface of the moulds by quantitative analysis. Geological field survey was carried out to identify a source of the raw materials of the stone moulds around Galdong site. Hornblendite or gabbroic rocks being similar to the moulds forming rock occur at Daeseongri, Sikcheonri and Gyodongri in Jangsoo, and Illdaeri in Namwon about 50 kilometers away from the site in a straight line. They have similarity with the moulds forming rock in magnetic susceptibility ranging from 16.1 to 72.4 (mean ; $39.9{\times}10^{-3}$ SI unit). Among those hornblendite or gabbroic rocks, one in Jangsoo area is the most similar to the moulds forming rock on the basis of petrological and mineralogical characteristics. Comparing normalized patterns of major, minor, rare earth and immobile elements contents of the moulds to them of hornblendite in Jangsoo area, geochemical evolution trend and behavior characteristics show affinities between them. It suggests that the moulds forming rock and hornblendite in Jangsoo area have been originated from cogenetic magma. This hornblendite is easy to engrave an inscription or detail graphics on the surface because of its softness, and has good thermal conductivity. Hornblendite in Sikcheonri, Jangsoo is particularly produced and used for stone wares until the present day. Therefore, it is probable that the stone materials of the moulds has been imported from Daeseongri, Sikcheonri and Gyodongri in Jangsoo area. However, it cannot be completely excluded the possibility that the material of the moulds was supplied from Illdaeri in Namwon area appearing the same type of hornblendite on a small outcrops. It is necessary to carry out further archaeological studies to identify several possibilities of migration process of raw materials.

The State Hermitage Museum·Northwest University for Nationalities·Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House, 2018 (아라사국립애이미탑십박물관(俄羅斯國立艾爾米塔什博物館)·서북민족대학(西北民族大學)·상해고적출판사(上海古籍出版社) 편(編) 『아장구자예술품(俄藏龜玆藝術品)』, 상해고적출판사(上海古籍出版社), 2018 (『러시아 소장 쿠차 예술품』))

  • Min, Byung-Hoon
    • MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
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    • v.98
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    • pp.226-241
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    • 2020
  • Located on the right side of the third floor of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the "Art of Central Asia" exhibition boasts the world's finest collection of artworks and artifacts from the Silk Road. Every item in the collection has been classified by region, and many of them were collected in the early twentieth century through archaeological surveys led by Russia's Pyotr Kozlov, Mikhail Berezovsky, and Sergey Oldenburg. Some of these artifacts have been presented around the world through special exhibitions held in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, and elsewhere. The fruits of Russia's Silk Road expeditions were also on full display in the 2008 exhibition The Caves of One Thousand Buddhas - Russian Expeditions on the Silk Route on the Occasion of 190 Years of the Asiatic Museum, held at the Hermitage Museum. Published in 2018 by the Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House in collaboration with the Hermitage Museum, Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia introduces the Hermitage's collection of artifacts from the Kuche (or Kucha) region. While the book focuses exclusively on artifacts excavated from the Kuche area, it also includes valuable on-site photos and sketches from the Russian expeditions, thus helping to enhance readers' overall understanding of the characteristics of Kuche art within the Buddhist art of Central Asia. The book was compiled by Dr. Kira Samosyuk, senior curator of the Oriental Department of the Hermitage Museum, who also wrote the main article and the artifact descriptions. Dr. Samosyuk is an internationally renowned scholar of Central Asian Buddhist art, with a particular expertise in the art of Khara-Khoto and Xi-yu. In her article "The Art of the Kuche Buddhist Temples," Dr. Samosyuk provides an overview of Russia's Silk Road expeditions, before introducing the historical development of Kuche in the Buddhist era and the aspects of Buddhism transmitted to Kuche. She describes the murals and clay sculptures in the Buddhist grottoes, giving important details on their themes and issues with estimating their dates, and also explains how the temples operated as places of worship. In conclusion, Dr. Samosyuk argues that the Kuche region, while continuously engaging with various peoples in China and the nomadic world, developed its own independent Buddhist culture incorporating elements of Gandara, Hellenistic, Persian, and Chinese art and culture. Finally, she states that the culture of the Kuche region had a profound influence not only on the Tarim Basin, but also on the Buddhist grottoes of Dunhuang and the central region of China. A considerable portion of Dr. Samosyuk's article addresses efforts to estimate the date of the grottoes in the Kuche region. After citing various scholars' views on the dates of the murals, she argues that the Kizil grottoes likely began prior to the fifth century, which is at least 100 years earlier than most current estimates. This conclusion is reached by comparing the iconography of the armor depicted in the murals with related materials excavated from the surrounding area (such as items of Sogdian art). However, efforts to date the Buddhist grottoes of Kuche must take many factors into consideration, such as the geological characteristics of the caves, the themes and styles of the Buddhist paintings, the types of pigments used, and the clothing, hairstyles, and ornamentation of the depicted figures. Moreover, such interdisciplinary data must be studied within the context of Kuche's relations with nearby cultures. Scientific methods such as radiocarbon dating could also be applied for supplementary materials. The preface of Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia reveals that the catalog is the first volume covering the Hermitage Museum's collection of Kuche art, and that the next volume in the series will cover a large collection of mural fragments that were taken from Berlin during World War II. For many years, the whereabouts of these mural fragments were unknown to both the public and academia, but after restoration, the fragments were recently re-introduced to the public as part of the museum's permanent exhibition. We look forward to the next publication that focuses on these mural fragments, and also to future catalogs introducing the artifacts of Turpan and Khotan. Currently, fragments of the murals from the Kuche grottoes are scattered among various countries, including Russia, Germany, and Korea. With the publication of this catalog, it seems like an opportune time to publish a comprehensive catalog on the murals of the Kuche region, which represent a compelling mixture of East-West culture that reflects the overall characteristics of the region. A catalog that includes both the remaining murals of the Kizil grottoes and the fragments from different parts of the world could greatly enhance our understanding of the murals' original state. Such a book would hopefully include a more detailed and interdisciplinary discussion of the artifacts and murals, including scientific analyses of the pigments and other materials from the perspective of conservation science. With the ongoing rapid development in western China, the grotto murals are facing a serious crisis related to climate change and overcrowding in the oasis city of Xinjiang. To overcome this challenge, the cultural communities of China and other countries that possess advanced technology for conservation and restoration must begin working together to protect and restore the murals of the Silk Road grottoes. Moreover, centers for conservation science should be established to foster human resources and collect information. Compiling the data of Russian expeditions related to the grottoes of Kuche (among the results of Western archaeological surveys of the Silk Road in the early twentieth century), Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia represents an important contribution to research on Kuche's Buddhist art and the Silk Road, which will only be enhanced by a future volume introducing the mural fragments from Germany. As the new authoritative source for academic research on the artworks and artifacts of the Kuche region, the book also lays the groundwork for new directions for future studies on the Silk Road. Finally, the book is also quite significant for employing a new editing system that improves its academic clarity and convenience. In conclusion, Dr. Kira Samosyuk, who planned the publication, deserves tremendous praise for taking the research of Silk Road art to new heights.

Analysis and Conservation of Wooden Objects from Buyeo Era of the Baekje Period (부여 백제시대 목제품의 재질분석과 보존)

  • Kim, Soochul;Oh, Jungae;Namkung, Seung;Lee, Kwanghee
    • Conservation Science in Museum
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    • v.10
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    • pp.43-61
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    • 2009
  • The Buyeo National Museum was requested conservation treatment for wooden objects excavated from three Baekje archeological sites: Neungsan-ri, Ssangbuk-ri, and Gungnamji Pond. Prior to conservation treatment, analysis was conducted to identify the species used. The results of the analysis revealed wood from diverse species of trees including Hard pine, Cryptomeria japonica D. Don, Zelkova serrata Makino, Quercus spp., Platycarya strobilaceae S. et Z., Castanea spp., Torreya nucifera S. et Z., Taxus cuspidata S. et Z., and Salix spp. A high percentage of the objects were made of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don., a species native to Japan, which indicates that exchange with Japan was active at that time. Among the wooden objects, we analyzed lacquer fragments from six pieces of lacquerware, and the characteristics of the lacquer fragments were peculiar to specific artifacts. Most of the fragments were thicker than 100 ㎛. Pure lacquer and mixed black pigment were used. Infrared spectroscopy of the lacquered wooden fragments revealed that they had a very similar absorption band as refined lacquer, confirming that they were painted with lacquer. For their conservation, we immersed the objects in a high molecular weight aqueous solution of PEG#3,350 (10% → 50%) to strengthen them before vacuum freeze-drying.

A Study on Iron Manufacturing and Technology through Analysis Reports of Iron artifacts in the Baekje Area (유물분석 자료를 통한 백제지역의 제철과 철기 제작기술 연구)

  • Kim, Soo-Ki
    • Journal of Conservation Science
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.335-343
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    • 2014
  • This study classified the result of non-metallic inclusion analysis and result of microstructure investigation on the ironware excavated in the Baekje region into Han River, Geum River, and Yeongsan River to estimate the iron making temperature and study the characteristics of regional and temporal characteristics of the heat treatment technology and steel making technology. Regardless of era, bloom iron and sponge iron are judged to be the major method for making as a directreduction process in all three regions. The result of the reinterpretation of the non-metallic inclusion by the oxide ternary constitutional diagram suggest that the temperature inside of the furnace is estimated to be between $1,100{\sim}1,300^{\circ}C$ while making the steel. The magnetic iron ores are the major raw material of steel ore and irons with high $TiO_2$ are estimated to use iron sands. Ironware with $CaO/SiO_2$ rate higher than 0.4% are considered to have artificially added the flux of calcareous materials. It was found that the iron making method is the solid caburizing-steel which caburizes low-carbon steels by the CO gas and $CO_2$ gas created when heating the forging furnace with charcoal. Also, the ironware manufacturers in the Baekje during 3rd century recognized the heat treatment technology as they performed carburizing process and quenching to intentionally increase the strength of necessary parts.