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Characterization of iron oxides-based red pigments in the ancient Gaya region, South Korea

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Abstract

The characteristics of red pigments of the Gaya cultural circles, the ancient federation kingdom in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, have been investigated using multiple analyses (SEM–EDS, XRD, Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy). In results, reddish ochre- and pure hematite-based pigments were distinguished. In addition, as the redness of the pigment increased, the proportion of well crystalline and magnetically ordered α-Fe2O3 phase also increased, whereas the amorphous and superparamagnetic Fe2O3 phase were decreased. These results indicate that the ancient Gaya people produced various red pigments according to their use by thermal treatment of reddish ochre and high-purity iron compounds.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Cultural Heritage Research and Development (R&D) project of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration. Some of the analysis data in this study were presented at the International Conference on Nuclear Analytical Techniques in 2022 (NAT2022), which was held in Daejeon, Korea, from Dec. 7 to 9, 2022.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Conservation Science Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Daejeon, 34122, Republic of Korea

    Dong Hyeok Moon, Na Ra Lee & So Jin Kim

  2. Gaya National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Changwon, 51430, Republic of Korea

    Woo Rim Han

  3. HANARO Utilization Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, 34057, Republic of Korea

    Young Rang Uhm

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Moon, D.H., Lee, N.R., Han, W.R. et al. Characterization of iron oxides-based red pigments in the ancient Gaya region, South Korea. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 332, 5175–5184 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-08993-3

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