Application of Scanning Electron Microscope In the Field of Conservation Science Of Cultural Properties

It is said cultural properties are messages from our ancestors to us and future generations.Since cultural properties contain the most exact information of ancient periods on the matterials and techniques for artistic objects in each ancient period,there is a possibility of exchengeing communications with our ancestors.Therefore,every effort should be made to preserve cultural prooerties and to pass them onto the next generations. However,these cultural properties have been damaged by various causes during long periods of burial,exhibition and storage.It is the purpose of conservation science for cultural properties to contribute to their preservation and restoration through scientific researches on the causes and mechanisms of deteriorations,materials,and traditional techniques.Two researches on the traditional Urushi-grounding techniques and foxing on paper are described as an example of the use of the scaning election microscope in the field of conservation science for cultural prpperties.