Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army is a remarkable collection of over 7,000 clay statues, primarily depicting soldiers, horses, chariots, and various figures, discovered in the Shaanxi province of China. This vast burial site was created for Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, around the third century BCE, to accompany him in the afterlife. The army was accidentally uncovered in 1974 by local farmers digging for water, leading to one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The statues are notable for their unique details, such as varied expressions and clothing, suggesting that they were modeled after real individuals.
Archaeological efforts have revealed more than 600 pits within a 22-square mile area, where it is estimated that around 700,000 workers contributed to their creation over three decades. The figures are aligned in battle-ready formations, demonstrating the military might of Qin's empire. Surrounding the statues are other figures, including dancers and musicians, believed to represent the emperor's court. Notably, the actual tomb of Qin remains unexcavated, but ancient texts describe it as containing immense riches and elaborate representations of natural features, including mercury rivers.
The Terracotta Army is recognized as a national treasure of China, with some figures loaned internationally to share this cultural heritage with a wider audience. The ongoing research and restoration efforts continue to shed light on this extraordinary historical site.
Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army is a collection of clay statues that were found buried in central China. At least seven thousand near life-size statues of soldiers are part of the funeral art prepared for China’s first emperor in the third century BCE. Each soldier is uniquely designed and fully dressed for battle. The army, along with chariots, horses and other animals, dancers and other figures that would be found in a royal court, made up the underground burial site that was discovered in the Shaanxi province in the mid-twentieth century. 
Background
Terracotta is a type of clay. The name comes from the Italian words terra for “earth,” and cotta for “baked.” Terracotta clay is reddish-brown clay that is found in many parts of the world. Once fired, or baked in a very hot oven, terracotta is strong. It can be glazed, or covered with special paints to make it waterproof. While it is most familiar in contemporary times for its use in flowerpots, terracotta has been used since the prehistoric age around 24,000 BCE. Terracotta has been used for many objects such as plates and mugs, roofing tiles, and decorative items. Archaeologists have determined that even prehistoric man used terracotta clay to make statues and other figurines.
The Terracotta Army and other figures found in the same area were commissioned by Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor. Qin came to power as a thirteen-year-old in 246 BCE. He is credited with bringing together a cluster of individual states that were constantly at war to form the beginnings of the country that became China around 221 BCE.
Some experts theorize that the creation of the clay soldiers and the other features of the tomb may have been part of Emperor Qin’s desire to achieve immortality. Written texts of the time indicate he instituted an unsuccessful nationwide search for an immortality elixir. In addition to the large necropolis, or city of the dead, that Qin ordered built to surround his tomb, he is credited with other major accomplishments during his reign. Qin was responsible for turning the written language of the time in to the Chinese characters, or hanzi, used in modern times. He also standardized the forms for money and weights across the country. In addition, Qin started the construction of the Great Wall of China.
Overview
The Terracotta Army is a collection of statues of more than seven thousand battle-ready soldiers, along with horses, chariots, and other tools of war. It was accidentally discovered on March 29, 1974, by Chinese peasants digging a new well in the northwest province of Shaanxi. They uncovered broken pieces of one statue and immediately notified Chinese authorities.
Government archaeologists went to the scene. They soon discovered that the otherwise unremarkable area was the site of one of the greatest archeological discoveries of the twentieth century. Over the next four decades, archaeologists uncovered more than six hundred pits over a 22 square mile (56 square kilometer) area. It is estimated that as many as seven hundred thousand workers may have labored on the site, which was under construction for more than thirty years.
Buried in the pit were thousands of clay figures, most around 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall. The figures were unique, with different hair styles, facial expressions, body positions, and clothing. Archaeologists believe that the body of the figures were created out of a basic form or mold. Thousands of clay artisans used smaller molds to create various styles of heads, which were added to the bodies. The artisans then added hair, facial hair, clothing, and other details also formed in small molds. This allowed for such a wide range of appearances among the soldiers that it almost looks as if each was modeled after a real person. While the statues are mostly gray after their time in the ground, touches of color on them indicate they may once have been brightly painted.
The soldiers are lined up in rows, as if they were marching into battle. They are accompanied by horses and chariots, and equipped with swords and other weaponry, much of which looked like new when it was unearthed two thousand years later. The soldiers are designed to replicate the full scope of a battle-ready unit, including officers, infantrymen, and archers in various poses.
Archaeologists say that the statues were intended to accompany Qin into the afterlife and to protect him once he arrived. The pits nearby also contain a number of other figures, including dancers, acrobats, musicians, and animals. These are thought to represent the court that surrounded Qin in his lifetime. They, too, were intended to accompany him after death and entertain him in the afterlife.
The army and other figures surround a large unexcavated tomb believed to hold Qin’s remains. According to ancient writings, the actual tomb contains untold riches in gems and precious metals formed to represent Qin’s Imperial kingdom as it once appeared. The ancient writings indicate that the representations of rivers and seas in the tomb are made of mercury. Although the tomb has not been opened, noninvasive testing has indicated the presence of large quantities of mercury, making the ancient stories believable.
When found, many of the statues were broken or had missing pieces. Experts have recreated or restored a number of figures in one pit, which has become part of the Terracotta Army Museum at the site. Others are left unrestored, giving visitors to the museum a glimpse into what archaeologists saw when the pits were first unearthed.
One pit was discovered empty, which leads archaeologists to believe the tomb area was left unfinished. This may have been because of rebellions that occurred about a year after Qin died. The existing complex will take archaeologists years to completely uncover. The Chinese government considers the statuary and the tomb site to be a national treasure, but some figures and replicas of others are loaned out to other countries each year so those who cannot travel to China can see them.
Bibliography
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