• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.19
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• pp.69-82
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• 2018

The gilt-bronze standing Buddha and bronze standing Buddha statues excavated from Yeongguksa Temple in Yeongdong, currently held in the collection of the Cheongju National Museum, underwent conservation treatment after scientific study. Materials analysis showed that the gilt-bronze statue was made with a ternary alloy of copper, tin, and lead, while the bronze statue is of a binary alloy of copper and tin. The analysis also revealed that the bronze statue contains gold, and it is therefore recommended to change its description to gilt-bronze standing Buddha. The gilt-bronze statue appears to have been made with lead produced in Korea. The material observed on the surface that is presumed to have been used as an adhesive for the gold coloring is thought to be lacquer. For conservation treatment, the statues were minimally cleaned using physical and chemical methods and were treated through consolidation and protective coating.