유지아 (국립문화유산연구원)

유지아 (국립문화유산연구원)

유지아 (국립문화유산연구원)

최지선 (국립문화유산연구원)

강소영 (국립문화유산연구원)

 Pyrolysis-GC/MS is a powerful analytical technique in the field of conservation science, as it enables the identification of trace amounts of polymeric materials without pretreatment. It is effective in characterizing the original composition of heritage materials, providing insights into historical technologies and past human activities. Furthermore, it can be used to plan for re-treatment strategies by characterizing materials used in earlier conservation treatment.

 In this study, pyrolysis-GC/MS were used to analyze the restoration materials applied to a Goryeo celadon lidded bowl with inlaid inscription of Sangyakguk. The Sangyakguk is the name of the royal pharmacy during the Goryeo Dynasty, and the artifact is believed to have served as a container for medicine used in the palace. It had previously undergone restoration, which involved reconstructing the missing parts and applying gold leaf with black adhesives to the restored areas.

 Thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (THM-Py-GC/MS) confirmed that the adhesives used for attaching the gold leaf were lacquer. Compounds related to both urushiol and laccol were detected, indicating the use of lacquer from two different tree species. These can be distinguished based on their phenolic profiles: urushiol contains catechol derivatives with C15 side chains, whereas laccol features C17 side chains.

This research was supported by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH-2025-A52F-1).