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The CulturalHeritage Conservation Science Center (CHCSC, Director, Jeong Soyoung) inNational Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) under the CulturalHeritage Administration (CHA) of Korea completed the conservation treatment forBuddhist scriptures around the 17th century which had been requested by theInstitute of History and Archaeology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS) fromMongolia. 

 This conservation treatment was requested bythe Institute of History and Archaeology under the MAS in 2019 to NRICH forBuddhist scriptures which had been excavated from the architectural historicsite, Sum Tolgoi in Tes soum of Zavkhan aimag(province) located in the westfrom Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, where the excavation had beenunderway as the project on ‘Cities of Mongolia in the 17th century’ led byDirector, CHULUUN Sampildondov (who is the incumbent Minister of Culture,Mongolia) in charge of the Institute of Archaeology at that time of 2018~2019.Artifacts which were sent to NRICH for conservation treatment are 21 itemsincluding Buddhist scriptures written in Mongolian and Tibetan languages onbark and paper.

* Sum Tolgoi: Astructure in a style of Tibet, built by the Khutagt (who means a living Buddhaand high priest) around the 17th Century

  The support for this conservation treatmentwas one part of ‘Arrangement on the Korea-Mongolia Joint Project for Researchand Preservation of Cultural Heritage’ (signed by both institutes in 2019), andthe practical work of conservation treatment based on the scientific analysiswas carried out by the CHCSC in NRICH, Korea.

 Buddhist scriptures excavated from dry soilwere torn to several pieces or crumpled, and letters on their surfaces wereunrecognizable by attached pollutants. Accordingly, the CHCSC removedpollutants by applying adequate moisture and took a step for unfolding. Fortears of Buddhist scriptures made of paper, they were strengthened withrestoration paper made from Dak tree, the paper mulberry of Korea, and cutsurfaces of Buddhist scriptures made of bark were joined with cellulose resinor consolidated. Through the conservation treatment, letters were clearlyidentified, and areas damaged by tears and crumpling were restored similarly tothe original shape, which resulted in restored condition to the extent thatletters are as legible as that contents in the Buddhist scriptures can beidentified.

 Furthermore, the basic data for research onthose Buddhist scriptures was secured from infrared images of clearly identified letters, and from the componentanalysis it was found out that the pigment containing ink, Ag(silver), Fe(iron)had been used for writing ink. In particular, by radiocarbon dating forBuddhist scriptures made of paper, the data of absolute ages around the 15~17thcentury was acquired, and it was confirmed that base paper was dyed in indigoand then letters were written in the manufacturing process.

 Based on results from conservation treatmentand scientific research which were conducted in Korea, further research oncontents and interpretations on those Buddhist scriptures is being carried outby the Institute of History and Archaeology in MAS. Subsequently, thepublication of its report is planned after those artifacts are returned toMongolia, and exhibitions for utilization are expected.

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​ This year the joint research between both institutes will be continued. Taking this opportunity, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage under the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea will try to newly prepare the plan for educational support human resources who are engaged in conservation treatment for organic materials relatively in inadequate environments to solidify amicable cultural relations between both countries.

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