Researchers trying to prevent the growth of moss on a group of stone statues of Buddha in Usuki, Oita Prefecture, are having success by employing ultraviolet light -- a discovery that may help in the preservation of similar cultural assets, it was learned Sunday.
The researchers exposed the Usuki stone Buddhas, which are designated as a national treasure, to ultraviolet rays and applying a solution that kills fungi, as part of a study by the Cultural Affairs Agency and the National Research Institute of Cultural Properties.
It was the first attempt to check the effects of ultraviolet light on stone cultural assets, and officials at the institute said the finding could lead to wide use of the method to prevent erosion of buildings and statues made of stone.
The Usuki stone Buddhas are believed to have been created sometime between the late Heian (794-1192) and the Kamakura (1192-1333) periods. Roughly 60 statues have been carved into the stone walls of a hilly area near the city of Usuki. One statue of Mahavairocana, measuring about 2.8 meters in height, is especially famous. The statue group was designated a national treasure in 1995.