The Terracotta Army is one of the most spectacular archaeological finds in the world: thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, horses, and chariots, buried to guard the first emperor of China in the afterlife. These silent sentinels offer an unprecedented glimpse into the military might and obsession with immortality of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
1. Guards for the First Emperor of China
The army was commissioned by Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), the king of the state of Qin who conquered the other Warring States and unified China under one empire in 221 BC. He became the first emperor of the Qin dynasty.
Qin Shi Huang was obsessed with immortality and had a gigantic mausoleum complex built near the present-day city of Xi’an. The Terracotta Army was just one part of this complex, intended to protect and serve him in the afterlife.
2. Discovered by Farmers in 1974
The discovery of the army was purely accidental. In March 1974, local farmers were digging a well in search of water when they stumbled upon fragments of terracotta figures.
Archaeologists were called in and began excavations, quickly revealing the enormous scale and importance of the find. The discovery is considered one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century.
3. Thousands of Unique Soldiers
So far, three large pits containing terracotta soldiers have been excavated, along with a fourth, empty pit. It is estimated that these pits contain over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses.
Remarkably, each soldier appears to have unique facial features, hairstyles, clothing, and expressions. Although the bodies were standardized and made using molds, the heads and details were finished individually, suggesting they may have been based on real soldiers from Qin’s army.
4. Life-Sized and Realistic
The terracotta soldiers are life-sized, averaging about 1.80 meters (5 ft 11 in) tall (slightly taller than the average Qin soldier likely was), with generals being even taller. They are highly detailed and realistically sculpted.
The figures are arranged in military formation, with different ranks and functions identifiable by their uniforms, headdresses, and armor. There are infantrymen, archers (kneeling and standing), cavalrymen, and generals.
5. Originally Brightly Colored
Although the soldiers now appear earthy grey, they were originally painted in bright, vivid colors such as red, green, blue, purple, and white. The pigment was applied over a layer of lacquer spread onto the fired terracotta.
Unfortunately, this lacquer layer with the paint quickly flakes off when the figures are exposed to the air after being buried for centuries. Archaeologists are working on techniques to better preserve the colors, but much of the original splendor has been lost.
6. Real Weapons (Now Mostly Gone)
The terracotta soldiers were originally armed with real weapons, such as spears, swords, crossbows, and arrows. These weapons were made of bronze and sometimes coated with a layer of chromium oxide to prevent corrosion, a remarkably advanced technique for the time.
Many of these weapons have decayed over time or were possibly looted shortly after the fall of the Qin dynasty during uprisings, but archaeologists have still found tens of thousands of bronze arrowheads and remnants of other weapons.
7. Mass Production Using Molds
The sheer scale of the army suggests a form of mass production. Archaeologists believe that different body parts (heads, arms, legs, torsos) were made in separate molds by different workshops.
These parts were then assembled, after which the details (facial features, hair, uniform details) were added and individualized by hand before the figures were fired in kilns and painted. Stamps or inscriptions found on many figures may indicate the names of the master craftsmen or workshops.
8. Part of a Gigantic Mausoleum Complex
The Terracotta Army is only a small part of Qin Shi Huang’s total mausoleum complex, which covers an area of tens of square kilometers. The center of the complex is the still-unopened burial mound under which the emperor himself is buried.
Historical texts (by Sima Qian) describe the tomb chamber as a replica of the empire, complete with palaces, rivers of mercury, and a ceiling adorned with celestial bodies. Other finds in the complex include bronze chariots, tombs of officials and laborers, and even an ‘underground zoo’ with animal skeletons.
9. The Burial Mound Remains Unopened
Despite the extensive archaeological activity surrounding the Terracotta Army, the central burial mound of Emperor Qin Shi Huang himself has still not been opened. Chinese authorities are hesitant for several reasons:
- Respect for the emperor: Opening the tomb is considered disrespectful.
- Conservation challenges: There are fears that exposure to air would irreparably damage the tomb’s contents (including potential silk fabrics, manuscripts, and the described mercury rivers), similar to what happened with the paint on the terracotta soldiers.
- Technical limitations: They may be waiting for more advanced archaeological techniques that allow for investigation and conservation without fully opening or damaging the tomb.
- Potential hazards: The historical descriptions of mercury rivers raise concerns about toxic vapors.
It remains one of archaeology’s greatest mysteries and potential treasure troves.
The Terracotta Army is a breathtaking monument testifying to the immense power, organizational capabilities, and afterlife vision of the first emperor of China. These thousands of silent warriors, each with a unique face, have guarded their ruler’s tomb for over two millennia, offering us a unique glimpse into the military and artistic ingenuity of the Qin dynasty. Their discovery has fundamentally changed our knowledge of ancient China.
