- Pieces of the wall painting brought to Korea for scientific analysis to be used for further research -

The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA, Administrator Chung Jaesuk) has carried out a field survey for the conservation and management status of the Afrasiab Museum’s palace wall painting of envoys from Goguryeo. The CHA has brought in eleven (11) pieces of the wall painting to Korea in December last year and has recently completed its scientific analysis.

* Field survey: Status analysis of temperature, humidity, light conditions, intensity of illumination, wall painting conditions, management and operation of protective facilities (2019.9.3-9.7)

The Afrasiab Museum is located in Samarkand, one of Uzbekistan’s representative historic sites. The museum holds a palace wall painting of foreign envoys from Goguryeo, Tibet, Tang Dynasty for the coronation of the seventh century king, Varxuman. As the wall painting includes envoys from Goguryeo, President Moon Jaein visited the museum during his visit to Central Asia in April last year.

At the time, the CHA signed an MOU with the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan and the Academy of Sciences to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural heritage and shared a mutual understanding to make joint efforts to preserve the palace wall painting. As a follow-up measure, the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) has undertaken diverse methods of scientific analysis for the wall painting pieces brought to Korea, including electron microscope, X-ray fluorescence analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, and pyrolysis analysis. As a result, the NRICH has discovered the production techniques of the wall painting, elements and mineral composition of the blue, red, and black pigments, and materials that had been used for conservation treatment.

* X-ray fluorescence analysis: A technique used to analyze the elemental composition of materials using X-ray

* X-ray diffraction analysis: A technique used to analyze the structure of materials by measuring the intensity of diffracted X-ray

According to research, new facts have been revealed: ▲ gypsum was used onto all the surfaces of the wall painting samples ▲ lazurite was used for the blue pigment and red ocher for the red pigment ▲ the black color was painted using inorganic pigment containing lead minerals. In particular, the black color had different characteristics from the traditional coloring method of Korea using ink (meok). In this sense, promising results are projected to identify the production techniques of wall paintings and flow of pigments between Central Asia and Korea.

Also, acrylic resin was found on the surface of the wall painting according to pyrolysis analysis, which indicates that synthetic resin was used on the surface of the colored layer for modern-day conservation.

The NRICH‘s research of the wall painting pieces has meaningful implications in that it provides scientific grounds for on-site conservation of the painting by ensuring basic data including the characteristics of pigments from ancient Central Asia. Detailed results will be provided as booklets in three (3) languages (Korean, English, Russian) to be used for further research in both countries and as educational materials for the conservation of the wall painting.

The palace wall painting in the Afrasiab Museum is an important source that indicates ancient Koreans having had exchanges outside of Korea to China and to Central Asia. The CHA will make continuous efforts to provide materials on conservation treatment of the wall painting and hold international seminars based on the analysis results. Through its ODA projects, the CHA will provide support in diverse areas such as improving museums and conservation labs in Samarkand and offering technical training in conservation treatment.

Attached 1. Photos

<Site of palace wall painting conditions investigation and non-destructive research>

<The Afrasiab palace wall painting (The red box indicating envoys from Goguryeo)>

Division: International Cooperation Division /

Conservation Science Division of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

Responsible Person(s): Deputy Director Kim Byungyun (042-481-4734) /

Senior Researcher Seo Minseok (042-860-9416)