Abstract
Bronze mirrors, considered important grave goods, were widely used before glass mirrors in ancient times. Most excavated bronze artifacts are covered with corrosive materials and lose their original colors. More importantly, identifying corrosion characteristics and the manufacturing techniques used for these artifacts are essential for proper artifact preservation. In this study, Early Iron Age bronze mirrors excavated from the Korean Peninsula were examined to determine their microstructures, corrosion characteristics, and production techniques using various analytical methods, such as Micro-Raman spectroscopy and field emission electron probe microanalysis. As a result, sulfides containing iron suggested chalcopyrite use during production or that the sulfides originated from copper, iron, and sulfur residual matte. The analysis also detected corrosion layers with high tin oxide (SnO2) levels and selective corrosion in the α + δ eutectoid phase on the artifact’s surface. In the corrosive layer, cuprite, malachite, and cassiterite corrosion products were detected, and nanocrystalline SnO2 was identified as a characteristic of long-term soil erosion. Identifying these artifacts’ corrosion characteristics and manufacturing techniques is essential and can greatly contribute to proper artifact preservation.
Highlights
Most currently excavated bronze artifacts are corroded, showing a loss of their original surface colors and being covered with corrosion products
Bronze Mirror Excavated from Pit Tomb Ga-2 (No 1) 3.1.1
Secondary copper is a highly pure metallic Cu formed within a bronze artifact‘s microstructure
Summary
Most currently excavated bronze artifacts are corroded, showing a loss of their original surface colors and being covered with corrosion products. Prolonged burial of bronze artifacts leads to erosion, resulting in morphological changes to stable states and forming various corrosion products. Weapons (bronze swords and arrowheads), tools (chisels and burin), and various bronze artifacts (bronze mirrors) were discovered [2]. Bronze mirrors describe the temporal and spatial transition of Korean bronzeware, which researchers use to explain the development of bronzeware. Sci. 2021, 11, 2441 arrowheads), tools (chisels and burin), and various bronze artifacts Korean bronzeware, which researchers use to explain the development of bronz manufacturing techniques [3]. Coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES; Perkin Elmer, Optima 4300 DV2.)3w. The samples were coated in platinum (Pt) to enhance their surface conductivity before being subjected to backscattered electron image (BSEI) analysis to obtain clearer, contrasting images
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