The purpose of this study is to scientifically analyze physicochemical characteristics of the roof tiles used for palaces in the Joseon Dynasty which stored in Changdeokgung material storage and Seooreung Jaesil and the modern handmade ones which made by N company to understand the differences between their manufacturing techniques. Through chromaticity, cross-sectional observation, component analysis, and crystal structure analysis, it was possible to confirm the physicochemical properties and fired properties of the roof tile. Roof tiles from the Joseon Dynasty have a wider colorimetric range and higher apparent porosity and water absorption, on average, than the modern roof tiles. The cross section of the Joseon Dynasty roof tiles shows that most clay minerals have not been vitrified, remaining in the form of atypical particles, while the modern roof tiles have denser clay materials. X-ray diffraction analysis identified low-temperature minerals such as micas in Joseon roof tiles but no peak of these minerals was observed in the modern roof tiles, implying that the modern ones are fired at higher temperature than the Joseon ones. Therefore, the modern roof tiles are fired at higher temperature and have higher density than the Joseon ones due to the use of pugmills. The general content of main ingredients was similar between the two. Additionally, the principal component analysis of trace elements in the Joseon roof tiles showed that most samples were from similar areas. It seems that the Joseon roof tiles were manufactured using soils supplied from a specific region at the same timeframe and their consistency in the content of principal components implies that they also have similar mix proportions of clay.

In this study, the physicochemical properties of 21 wall fragments and rooftile pieces excavated from Jeseoksa Dump-site were analyzed, and the possibility of heat exposure, such as the fire reported in the literature, was investigated by estimating the firing temperature. From the results, it was estimated that the rooftiles were composed of refined materials, and the walls were composed of materials having different particle sizes depending on the layer. Unlike ordinary rooftiles and walls, they exhibited an uneven surface with traces of bloating phenomenon in the cross section. It was estimated from the blackening of some portions that firing was not performed in a controlled state in a constant firing environment. In addition, the estimated firing temperature showed that the non-overfired rooftiles had endured a firing temperature of 900°C or less, but the over-fired samples were subjected to a temperature of 1,000°C or higher and were fired at a temperature higher than the manufacturing temperature at that time. Additionally, the rooftiles probably became defective during firing or molding at the time of production, but the non-overfired rooftiles exhibited an intact shape and showed the possibility of heat exposure due to fire. Therefore, the analytical results of this study confirm that the defective architectural components damaged by the fire, as reported in the literature, were discarded in the Jeseoksa dump-site.