해외박물관 소장 조선후기 면갑(綿甲) 유물 분석 : 메트로폴리탄박물관 소장 유물을 중심으로

Abstract

In the late 19th century, a specific type of cotton armor was developed in order to protect from bullets of Western arms. Only one cotton armor exists in the collections of Korean museum. Therefore, comparative study of the artifacts in the museums overseas was critical. A set of the cotton armor was examined at The Met in New York and later studied in comparison with a cotton armor in the collection of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. While the cotton armor is so rare to find in Korea, the author was able to locate several artifacts in the museum collections of other countries including the USA, France, Japan, and the UK. The examples abroad even include helmets, belts, and chest pads. The set of cotton armor of The Met has three components: a helmet, an armor, and a wide belt. The helmet and the armor were constructed with scores layers of cotton fabric overlay. There are a few amulet patterns including Om Mani Padme Hum and pomegranate, stamped on the fabric in black ink. Although Confucianism was the main philosophy of the Joseon Dynasty, the amulet patterns reflect people’s reliance on Buddhism and Taoism. They needed psychological protection for their life in addition to the physical protection. The name of the wearer was written in black ink inside of the helmet and the armor. The cotton armors in the collections of The Met and the National Museum of Korea showed great similarities with few minor differences. In conclusion, it is likely that the cotton armors were made by following an instruction regulated by authorities with the same specifications, such as structure, material, color and amulet patterns. They were possibly produced in large quantity for training soldiers under the initiative of the national authority or the military camp.