Database Design for a Hanbok Data Archive: Focused on the Seok Juseon Memorial Museum Collection of Dankook University
Keywords: Hanbok, artifact, Relational database, Digital Heritage, Metadata standardization, Museum informatics
Abstract. This study aims to design a relational database (RDB) structure for the systematic management and academic utilization of hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) artifacts based on collection data from the Seok Juseon Memorial Museum at Dankook University. Joseon Dynasty costume artifacts serve as important historical materials reflecting Korean traditional culture, temporal transitions, and lifestyle patterns. However, artifact information is currently managed individually by each museum, making integrated and in-depth exploration challenging. Particularly, the absence of detailed search functions specialized for the costume domain and non-standardized metadata have led to constraints in academic utilization. To address these limitations, this study structured the data by assigning standardized values to detailed attributes reflecting hanbok characteristics, such as git (collar), sleeve, pattern, mu, and ba-dae (linings). A metadata system capable of tracking the provenience of both excavated and transmitted artifacts was designed. To represent semantic relationships between artifacts and their historical and cultural contexts, a Resource Description Framework (RDF) triple structure was implemented. The constructed database enables linked exploration of temporal characteristics, detailed attributes, and provenance information through complex queries, thereby validating structural consistency and usability. This study presents a practical database design model for the preservation and digital archiving of hanbok artifacts, thus contributing to advances in digital humanities research in cultural heritage.