• Bangmulgwan gwa yeongu (The National Museum of Korea Journal)
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• v.1
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• pp.198-233
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• 2024

On April 28, 2021, the bereaved family of the late Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-Hee made a gift of 9,797 items (in 21,693 pieces) from his estate to the National Museum of Korea. Among the donated cultural heritage are 535 mirrors (in 555 pieces), which constitute the largest proportion of the metal art in the donation. This article discusses a group of mirrors from the donated collection dating to the Western Han and Samhan periods - a total of twenty-three mirrors (twenty-two from the Western Han Dynasty and one from the Samhan Period) - that are presumed to have been found together. However, there is no known case of such a large number of Western Han mirrors being discovered together, raising doubts about whether this group should be considered to have been buried all together. Furthermore, the presence of a Samhan mirror among the group suggests that this one at least must have been found together with a Western Han mirror. Additionally, considering that early Samhan mirrors have been found in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula, particularly in the region occupied by Jinhan Confederacy (in present-day Gyeongsangbuk-do Province), it is likely that these mirrors were also excavated somewhere in Jinhan. Also, -18 is a repurposed imitation of a jade eye cover. No similar examples have been found in Korea, China, or Japan, but there are instances of bronze mirrors being used as substitutes for jade burial ornaments that have been identified in China. The repurposing and use of Western Han mirrors as circular ornaments have been observed only in Jinhan in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, indicating that this item was likely used in Jinhan as well. Further research and discoveries are anticipated in the future.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.47-49
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• 2007

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.224-233
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• 2018

Thirty-three Early Iron Age bronzes at the sites of Hoam-dong in Chungju and Cheongsong-ri in Buyeo were investigated in order to study the manufacturing technique and the provenance of lead. Chemical analysis using X-ray fluorescence showed that 33 bronzes consist of copper(Cu), tin(Sn) and lead(Pb) served as major elements. Major and minor elemental analyses by EPMA were performed on two mirrors and 2 weapons of the bronzes investigated. The results shows that bronze mirrors from Chungju and Buyeo were high-tin bronzes(> 30 wt%). And 20% of tin and 5% of lead were founded in bronze weapons. Iron, zinc, arsenic, silver, nickel, sulfur and cobalt detected in four bronzes as minor and trace elements. The four bronzes were alloyed considering their function and were not heat treated after casting due to their high tin content. Lead isotope analysis using TIMS indicates that thirty-three bronzes were distributed southern Korea peninsula except Zone 1. As a result, lead raw materials came from various regions in Korean Peninsula not from Gyeongsang-do regions. The manufacturing techniques of bronze ware generalized at this age, and bronze was produced in various sites using raw materials from various sources.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.156-179
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• 2016

Yatsushiro Shrine on the island of Kamishima located in Ise Bay, Japan, contains many cultural artifacts with ancient mirrors in significant numbers. Also included among the artifacts are horse gags and reins that are clearly of the same lineage as the horse harnesses from the unified Shilla era and Goryeo era in Korean history. Type classification and position establishment were carried out on the horse reins kept in the Yatsushiro shrine, including items such as those mentioned previously. Type A horse harness can be classified into 3 types. Based on this classification scheme, the harness type in the Yatsushiro shrine was found to belong to the most recent period. The blacksmith workshop that made the harness was producing iron wares and bronze wares, and it possessed metal forging and metal casting technologies. Note, however, that it was primarily a workshop where iron wares were made. The parts that were visible from the outside when the harness was attached were made from composite bronze, and the reins and bridle linkage were made from iron. Such integration of bronze ware production techniques and iron ware production techniques was an attempt at enhancing the practicality and embellishments on the harness.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.4-15
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• 2013

The study of corrosion products generated by archaeological bronzes that have been buried for a long time can provide certain evidence that enables us to understand the natural corrosion process of bronze and helps us develop conservation and preservation methods. In the present study, the specimens taken from two bronze mirrors and three bronze swords were used to study the corrosion morphology and the related phenomena such as selective corrosion of ${\alpha}$ or ${\alpha}+{\delta}$ phases, decuprification, destannification, and secondary copper. Furthermore, corrosion development was discussed based on the ions distributed throughout the corrosion layers.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2012

Ancient mirrors are generally made of bronze, and it is very rare to find cases of iron mirrors excavated domestically. In this study, the unidentified ferrous artifact was treated for conservation, and was identified as a mirror. In this process, the sample was taken and analyzed for microstructure, and the manufacturing technology was studied. Analysis involved optical microscope, micro-hardness tester, and SEM-EDS. As the result of analysis, iron mirror structure exist not almost non-metallic inclusions, and partially network cementite was observed. This appears to have been caused by reduced carbon content due to decarburizing the cast iron in the solid state mirror which was created by cast iron. The ledeburite structure of the casting has difficult to cut or polish because has great hardness by high carbon content. Thus, the cast iron mirror was decarburized at a temperature under $850^{\circ}C$ with CO or $CO_2$ blocked, which reduced the hardness of the iron mirror and made it possible to polish the mirror surface. This deformation of structure according to carbon content results from such manufacturing technology.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.83-100
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• 2019

The purposes of this study are to identify the meaning of the geometrical patterns preferred by ancient Korean peoples and to classify them into some groups by their similarity. We investigated various patterns found on clothing and relics from GoJoseon to Goguryeo period, and utilized secondary sources such as history articles, Internet materials and photo and analyzed the associations of the varied patterns found in pottery, handicrafts, and clothing with the ancient cultures. We found the letters (ㅇ, ㅁ, and ㅅ of Korean alphabet, Hangul) preferred by ancestors who worshipped nature to identify the significations attached by them to particular patterns. The results confirm the following: first, the circle pattern indicated the sun, moon, stars in the sky, a bronze mirror, and a man's face. Circles and ovals were also observed to represent the individual souls of the clan or community. Second, square patterns symbolized the land and the patterns that signified the wellbeing of family and the country. Oblique rectangles were more frequently used as they represented a double use of the triangle, a shape that implied mystic power. Third, triangle symbolized regeneration, power, and humanity. While the Neolithic Age jade remnants of hair combs appear not to be irrelevant to the process of comb-shaped pottery production of the time, many fine comb-like lines may be found on bronze mirrors. Through its review of the glorious designs inherited from and established by ancient ancestors, the present research endeavor may help in identifying the spirits and traditions of Korean history.