Abstract
The decorated burial chambers in tumuli have been deteriorated due to temperature change and moisture movement in the burial chambers. Heat insulation of a burial chamber by covering with an earth mound is one of feasible means to control the damage. In the present paper, the temperature and dew condensation in a burial chamber was evaluated by one dimensional equation of heat conduction to investigate the influence of the thickness, degree of saturation and dry density of the mound on the chamber environment. The calculated performance suggested that the thickness of the mound has larger influence on the environment in the burial chamber than other factors. Therefore, the thickness of the mound is a key factor for designing an earth mound storing a decorated chamber which requires hydrothermal environment control for preservation. On the other hand, the degree of saturation and dry density of the earth mound with less influence on chamber environment should be decided considering the mechanical stability and water infiltration of the mound.
