• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.104-121
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• 2016

Royal tombs in Neungsan-ri had been studied several times during the Japanese Colonial era. But, conceiving the general complexion of them is difficult for lack of data and analysis of previous studies are still insufficient. Thus, necessity of new approach and understanding in Royal tombs in Neungsan-ri are emphasized by the reviewing existing studies and conservation history. The Serial numbers of the Royal tombs in Neungsan-ri has been registered arbitrarily without clear guidelines from Japanese Colonial era until present time. It means previous studies were devoid of consideration for serial number changes. And, research has shown that Royal tombs in Neungsan-ri counts at least twenty, taking No.8 tomb of recent study into consideration. Moreover, in case of eastern tombs it needs changes in the existing perception that Royal tombs in Neungsan-ri consist of only six-tombs because there was no difference between eastern tombs and central sixtombs considering the burial chamber and lacquered wooden(koyamaki) Coffin. Ultimately, current state of Royal tombs in Neungsan-ri doesn't have authenticity because they had been found and regulated in the Japanese Colonial era. Consequently, it is required to overall study into entrance to burial chamber and covered burial stone marker and exaggerated mounds, ignored another tombs other than six-tombs in the center.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.4-21
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• 2021

A stone mold from the Sabi period of Baekje was excavated at the western tombs in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo where there was a recent excavation survey (2016). It was believed and reported that such stone molds were used for copper needles during the early Iron Age; however, a close re-examination of the form revealed that they were used for bifid ornamental hairpins. Given its casting form, the stone mold of Neungsan-ri is estimated to have been used to make bifid ornamental hairpins in a ∩ shape, narrowing down toward the tip. It is considered an artifact of the Goryeo dynasty. The stone used to make the bifid ornamental hairpin mold of Neungsan-ri was chlorite-schist, the principal minerals of which include chlorite, amphibole, and talc. Similar rocks are in nearby Buyeo (Oesan-myeon), Cheongyang, Gongju, and Yesan. They are mainly found between Jiseon-ri, Oesan-myeon, Buyeo, Sucheol-ri, Yesane-up, and Yesan. Nearly 70 bifid ornamental hairpins from the Goryeo dynasty were excavated at Neungsan-ri, Buyeo and the surrounding areas. Among them, the bronze ones excavated from the tombs of Songguk-ri, Buyeo are estimated to have been made using this mold as they closely resemble the Neungsan-ri mold. Stone was likely the preferred material for molds to make bronze artifacts as it was easy to sink a die. Regarding the bifid ornamental hairpin cast excavated in Neungsan-ri, they obtained stones in nearby areas 20~50km from their location, made bronze artifacts, and distributed them to nearby sites during the Goryeo dynasty. These artifacts suggest that the casting technology of using a stone mold was still employed then.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.453-457
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• 2020

Tomb No. 1 (Donghachong) of the Buyeo Neungsan-ri Tomb complex (listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site), is a royal tomb of the Baekje Sabi Period. One wooden coffin unearthed there is an important relic of the funerary culture of the Baekje. This study examines the production techniques of gilt-bronze objects attached to the wooden coffin excavated from Donghachong. The base metal of the gilt-bronze object is pure copper, with single α phase crystals in a heterogeneous form containing annealing twins; Au and Hg are detected in the gilt layer. We suggest that the surface of the forging copperplate is gilded using a mercury amalgam technique; it is thought that the annealing twins of the base material formed during the heat treatment process for the sheet metal. The gilt layer is three to five times thicker for the gilt-bronze objects found near the foot of the coffin than those near the head. We estimate the plating process is carried out at least three times because three layers are identified on the plate near the head. Therefore, it is likely that the materials and methods used to construct the gilt-bronze objects found in different parts of the coffin are the same, but the number of platings is different. This research confirms the metal crafting techniques used in Baekje by the examination of production techniques of these gilt-bronze objects. Further, our paper presents an important example of restoration and reconstruction for a museum exhibition, through effective use of scientific analysis and investigation.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.260-285
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• 2021

This article deals with the current status of investigation of the royal tombs of Baekje (Gongju Songsan-ri Tomb, Buyeo Neungsan-ri Tomb, Iksan Ssangneung) from the Japanese colonial period to the present. A review of the maintenance status is also conducted to see if the survey content was actually reflected in the restoration maintenance of the ruins. First, the structure scale and characteristics of the royal tombs of Baekje during the Woongjin and Sabi periods were identified by examining the survey content organized by period and feature. Through the recent re-excavation survey, it was confirmed that the results of the research during the Japanese colonial period were being verified. Next, before examining the maintenance status of the Baekje royal tombs, related content about maintenance of laws and regulations were extracted to establish the maintenance standards. It was confirmed that the most importance part of maintenance is 'maintenance of the original form' without compromising the authenticity of cultural properties. Based on these criteria, the maintenance status was reviewed. The main part of the burial tomb is located underground, so maintenance is mainly made around the tomb, which is the upper structure. However, most of the original burial mounds have been lost or damaged, so it is difficult to determine their original form. In fact, constant changes in the size and location of tombs from the Japanese colonial period to the present were confirmed in the Songsan-ri and Neungsan-ri tombs, meaning that the current maintenance status is problematic. On the other hand, in the case of Ssangneung, not only are the tombs relatively intact, but there are also few changes in the records, so it seems that maintenance was carried out that preserved the original form of the tombs. Therefore, the maintenance of tombs in the future should be based on 'maintaining the original form', but it is recommended that the 'education and utilization' plan be prepared after determining whether or not to restore the tomb and the degree of restoration.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.333-343
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the conservation environment by monitoring temperature and humidity for two years and mapping the remaining pigments of mural paintings to diagnose the conservation state of mural paintings of Royal Tombs in Neungsan-ri. We evaluated the characteristics of condensation in the tomb. Compared with the results of a 2008 survey, we conducted state change of mural paintings in the tomb. The temperature in the main room, which has an annual average soil temperature distribution at 5 m depth in Korea, is maintained at $13{\sim}18^{\circ}C$. The temperature range of the main room was between less than $0.1^{\circ}C$ to $0.5^{\circ}C$, and the diurnal variation of temperature between summer (June to September) and winter (December to January) is the greatest. Condensation is more concentrated in the summer because the outdoor air was typically at higher temperatures than the main room inflows in the tomb. Mapping the remaining pigment composition and particle distribution of mural paintings showed that it was in the range of 36.72~39.53% of the wall area. The pigment range was confirmed to be the same as it was in 2008, through ultraviolet fluorescence reaction and infrared ray investigation. Therefore, the underground environment that receives dew condensation in the summer has been stable since 2008. However, continuous monitoring is needed because the deterioration of mural painting proceeds considerably after excavation and only a small percentage of the pigments survive.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.22
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• pp.41-52
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• 2019

Inner walls of the stone chamber of West Ancient Tomb No. 1 and 2 in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo-gun have been inspected for possible trace of murals. Tomb No.1 has a rough surface finish of the stone wall and no traces of murals was observed in any part of the stone walls except the ceiling part of the main chamber. On the ceiling surface, there is black colored area, which showed same visual characteristics for both the surface and interior upon slight scratch of the surface, suggesting that it may not be a painted layer. In addition, this black material is not artificial stuff like black ink but is confirmed as biotite from X-ray diffraction analysis that is one of the constituents of the stone wall. In case of tomb No. 2, white material, that is confirmed as lime(calcite, CaCO3) by X-ray diffraction analysis, was observed on the wall surface of the east, west and north, suggesting possible existence of murals. The lime layers, however, are located mostly on the entrance of east wall of main chamber and the place of passage whereas they are observed only in lower parts on the other walls. It may have been formed by the inflow of soil and lime from the outside as the form of the lime layer in the east wall corresponds to the traces of soil and lime deposited from the thief pit. Furthermore, the filling material found in the gap between the stone slabs of the four directions and the ceiling was confirmed as clay soil, which is different material from the lime present on the stone wall surface. If the lime layer had been artificially constructed for the purpose of creating murals, it would have been more reasonable to use lime as well in the gap between the stone slabs of the four directions and ceiling. In this regard, we conclude that there are no murals in the Tomb No. 2 in the Neungsan-ri.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.179-189
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• 2021

In this study, the research objects are gilt plated silver-iron nails excavated from the west of the tombs in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo. A gilt plated silver-iron nail was fabricated by combining silver and iron via heating and then gilding amalgam on top of this combination, demonstrating that this ancient artifact that can be replicated using current technology. Since the metal (Au, Ag) surface of these gilt plated artifacts are covered with iron oxide, which slips into the cracks and scratches of the artifacts as well, desalination is essential. Based on the results of the preliminary experiment, the research objects were classified into grades A, B, and C, according to the degree of corrosion and then desalinated using an alkali solution (NaOH, Sodium Sesquicarbonate of 0.1 M) at 60℃. The results demonstrate that the more serious is the degree of corrosion, the more is the amount of Cl^- detected. Further, more Cl^- was released when NaOH was used than when sodium sesquicarbonate was used, for all grades except Grade A. Furthermore, the more serious is the degree of corrosion, the longer is the desalination period and the reaction with NaOH for all grades except Grade A. A comparison of the Fe composition of the surface before and after desalination shows that Fe composition is the use of NaOH resulted in a smaller increase compared with the use of sodium sesquicarbonate, for all grades except Grade B. However, four of the nails were damaged owing to NaOH (Grade B 3ea, Grade C 1ea) during desalination. Thus, Cl^- ions are more stably released when sodium sesquicarbonate is used than when NaOH is used.