A Study on the Preservation Treatment of Gold-Leafed Clothing Artefacts Excavated from a Tomb of the Cheongsong Shim Clan - Focusing on Bugeum Wonsam and Jikgeum Chima (Skirt) -

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to perform a non-destructive material analysis and conservation treatments on two gold-leafed clothing artefacts (Bugeum Wonsam and Jikgeum Chima (Skirt)) excavated from a tomb of the Cheongsong Shim Clan held by the Chungbuk National University Museum. The artefacts, which were excavated in April 2003, had been stored in storage and were found to be wrinkled, contaminated, hardened and dried. The preservation treatment of the artefacts was performed by means of material analysis and repair. The analysis of the material using scanning electron microscopy SEM, FT-IR, colorimetric and XRF analyses showed that the material is silk fiber, and the analysis of the gold leaf layer using XRF showed that the gold leaf is gold (Au). The preservation treatment was performed by investigating the condition of the artefacts and conducting preliminary experiments on the reinforcing agents. For the reinforcement treatment, a 10% reinforcing agent of cow glue was applied to protect the gold leaf layer to prevent flaking of the gold leaf layer during wet cleaning, and a 2% reinforcing agent was applied after repair . For wet cleaning, a natural cleaning liquid mixed with cypress extract was used at a concentration of 1.0%. For wet cleaning, a natural cleaning solution mixed with Oriental arborvitae extract was used at a concentration of 1.0%. After cleaning, the artefacts were reinforced and repaired to restore their original shapes, completing the preservation treatment including packaging and storage.