Ultra high-definition surface analysis of wear on Yayoi- and Kofun-period bronze mirrors

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560145
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cultural assets study and museology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUNAGA SHINYA 大阪大学, 文学研究科, 教授 (50189958)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NAKAKUBO Tatsuo 大阪大学, 文学研究科, 助教 (30609483) ; UMEDA Junko 大阪大学, 接合科学研究所, 准教授 (50345162)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 青銅鏡 / 摩滅 / 使用痕 / 摺動試験 / 表面観察

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The research team considered the nature of what is commonly thought to be wear from hand-rubbing on Yayoi- and Kofun-period bronze mirrors by analyzing the samples through high-definition visual analysis utilizing scanning electron microscope, 3D microscope and sliding tests. While resin coating on mirrors that have undergone conservation treatment obstructed the magnified high-definition visual analysis, it enabled an increased understanding of the issues surrounding conservation methods for bronze mirrors. The wear experiment comprised extended wet sliding tests utilizing a cotton cloth. The experiment didn't yield surface wear. This suggests that the archaeological theory proposing that surface wear was due to long-term hand-rubbing requires reconsideration.

Free Research Field

考古学