Jisun Choi (Conservation Science Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage)

Jisun Choi (Conservation Science Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage)

Jisun Choi (Conservation Science Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage)

Jia Yu (Conservation Science Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage)

Organic residues preserved in the oil lamps provide valuable insights into the culture, environmental conditions, fuel resources, and lighting technologies of the period. This study analyzed organic residues from a Three Kingdoms-period oil lamp excavated at the archaeological site of Bogam-ri, Naju, to identify the origin of the oil used as fuel. Lipids were extracted from the soil collected from the lamp wick, using acidified methanol. The extracted lipids were characterized through Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry(GC/MS) and Gas Chromatography-Combustion-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry(GC-C-IRMS). The lipid extracts revealed the presence of several fatty acids, primarily palmitic acid(C_16:0) and stearic acid(C_18:0). The palmitic to stearic acid(P/S) ratio indicates a higher contribution of animal fats compared to plant oils. The detection of oleic acid(C_18:1) suggests the presence of plant oil. Stable isotope analysis identified that the animal lipids originated from ruminants, such as deer or cattle. This study contributes to the advancement of molecular and isotopic methodologies in cultural heritage research by enabling the analysis of organic residues. Furthermore, the findings may promote the broader application of analytical techniques in archaeological science.

Acknowledgment

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