Terracotta Army city. Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang

Sometimes some archaeological discoveries seriously change the course. This is why historians are so sensitive to discoveries of this kind. Today we will tell you about the Terracotta Army.

China's Terracotta Army

In the 70s of the 20th century, during archaeological excavations in China, the clay Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang was found. This find immediately became a world sensation, so it was not for nothing that some dubbed it.

Today, the Terracotta Army is one of the main attractions of China, along with the Great Wall of China.

We bring to your attention interesting facts about this extraordinary ancient burial.

Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

In 1974, near the city of Xi'an, the Terracotta Army, made of clay, was discovered. It was located next to the tomb of the emperor, and according to the beliefs of the ancient Chinese, it was supposed to protect him in the afterlife.

Interestingly, the Terracotta Army consisted of about 8,100 life-size clay warriors and horses. In addition to terracotta sculptures, tens of thousands of various bronze weapons were also discovered.

Formation of Terracotta Foot Soldiers

The Clay Army was buried with Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 210 BC. e. In addition to these figures, archaeologists found the remains of 70 thousand workers with their families, as well as the bodies of 48 concubines of the emperor.

The examination showed that all these people were buried alive in the grave. Most likely, this was done in order to hide the secret of the manufacture of this army.

Creation

The terracotta statues were buried along with the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang (who unified China and connected all the links of the Great Wall) in 210-209 BC. e.

Sima Qian (hereditary historiographer of the Han dynasty) reports that a year after ascending the throne in 246 BC. e. 13-year-old Ying Zheng (the future Qin Shi Huangdi) began to build his tomb.

According to his plan, the statues were supposed to accompany him after death, and, probably, provide him with the opportunity to satisfy his power ambitions in the other world in the same way as he did during life.

The construction of the mausoleum required the efforts of more than 700 thousand workers and artisans and lasted 38 years. The perimeter of the outer wall of the burial is 6 km.

Although instead of living warriors, contrary to tradition, clay copies of them were buried with the emperor, according to various estimates, up to 70 thousand workers along with their families were also buried.

Basic information

The statues were discovered in March 1974 by local peasants while drilling an artesian well east of Mount Lishan.

Mount Lishan is a man-made necropolis of the first Qin Emperor. The material for some of the statues was taken from this mountain.

The first stage of excavations took place from 1978 to 1984. The second - from 1985 to 1986.

Figures recovered from the excavation and collected in parts

On June 13, 2009, the third stage of excavations began. An army of clay warriors rests in battle formation in parallel crypts 1.5 km east of the emperor's tomb.

All these crypts were found at a depth of 4 to 8 m. It is also striking that all the statues are unique, that is, each figure has its own shape, equipment and face. These warriors include privates, archers, cavalrymen and commanders-in-chief.

In relative proximity to the burial site, archaeologists discovered statues of musicians, acrobats and statesmen.

Experts from China found that some of the figures, as well as horses and chariots, were made of clay. But with the rest of the warriors the situation is much more complicated. It is still not known for certain where they were brought from. Each human statue weighs about 130 kg.

Scientists are still puzzling over how these statues were made. What is definitely clear is that initially the figures were given one form or another, and then they were fired. But how?

The fact is that archaeologists did not find a single kiln nearby. And this is not surprising, because at that time people did not yet possess such highly developed technologies necessary for the manufacture of such sculptures. In addition, each statue is covered with a special glaze and painted.

Unbelievable but true

There is another, no less interesting mystery: why, after more than 2000 years, the weapon not only did not fade, but did not even become dull? The examination showed that all metal objects contain chromium.

Notice how different the faces of these two soldiers are from each other. Each statue is unique.

But how could it be there if they learned to make it only at the beginning of the 20th century? Did the ancient Chinese really have such high technology? But all units of military weapons are made at the highest level.

One of the most striking finds associated with the Terracotta Army are 2 bronze chariots found next to the mausoleum.

They are drawn by four beautiful horses, which were obviously intended for the emperor's horseback rides in the other world.

Each of these carts is made of more than 3,000 elements, which individually represent true works of art. On the chariots you can see designs of a phoenix bird, a dragon and a tiger.

In addition to bronze, some parts are made of silver and gold. Among all the discovered artifacts found in China throughout history, these carts are the most magnificent.

Soon after the death of the emperor, a fire occurred in the tomb, as a result of which it was looted. According to ancient chronicles, it contained a large amount of jewelry, coins and other valuables.

A number of historians believe that this tomb was only a fiction, and the true burial place of Qin Shi Huang has not yet been found. The Terracotta Army itself was subsequently covered with soil.

In general, the Terracotta Army can be considered the 8th wonder of the world. Just look at the number of artifacts found, not to mention how exquisitely they were made.

Pay attention to these photos:

The Terracotta Warriors were once painted. Today, only a few statues contain small amounts of paint. Also pay attention to the details of the warrior's sole.
Terracotta soldier with horse

Popularity and importance

In 1987, at the 11th session of UNESCO, the Terracotta Army was included in the World Heritage List as part of the “Tomb of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty” complex.

The Qin Shi Huang tomb complex was the first Chinese site included on this list. A visit to the Terracotta Army is often included in the program of stays of foreign heads of state in China.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan and his wife viewed the exhibition. He regarded this historical monument as “a great miracle belonging to humanity.”

In 1986, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Prince Philip visited there. In 1998, the monument was visited by US President Bill Clinton and his family, and in 2004 by the President.

Terracotta Army today

Excavations of the Terracotta Army have not completely stopped to this day, as the Chinese authorities are doing everything possible to identify and preserve the heritage of their ancestors. However, excavations are not currently being carried out at the official level.

The reason for the suspension of archaeological research is that, according to legend, rivers of mercury should accompany the emperor in the afterlife.

Just in case, scientists decided to check this version so as not to run into trouble. It is very possible that many more interesting and amazing artifacts are hidden underground. Therefore, even newer and more amazing discoveries may await us ahead.

Now you know what the Terracotta Army of ancient China is. If you liked the article, share it on social networks.

If you like it at all, subscribe to the site website in any convenient way. It's always interesting with us!

Did you like the post? Press any button.

July 4th, 2011

The burial complex of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is the most important tourist site in China. It is located in the ancient city of Xi'an, which was the capital of China for a thousand years. Many people come to this city just to see the famous Terracotta Army, which today is the most significant part of the tomb of the First Emperor, since the burial complex itself is very rarely visited by tourists. Clay warriors, found in 1974, are attracting all the attention. At the same time, the Terracotta Army is only a minor element of the burial, located 1.5 km from the tomb itself, outside the line of the ancient defensive walls that surrounded the entire necropolis.

Getting to the Terracotta Army from Xi'an is as easy as shelling pears; bus No. 306 or 5 runs there constantly from the square of the city's main railway station.
The entire area around the tomb of the First Emperor has been desecrated by the Chinese in a way only they know how to do. I have no energy to describe the kilometer-long rows of shops and stalls; I even got lost in this labyrinth of meaningless structures. There is so much of all this evil spirits that it is difficult to find the entrance to the complex itself.

Main excavation.

The Terracotta Army dates back to the 2nd-3rd century BC. and is logically attributed to the burial complex of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, although it is located at some distance from it.
So far, more than 8,000 clay warriors have been excavated, and their number is constantly increasing. The warriors are 180-190 cm tall, and one soldier weighs about 130 kg.

Almost all the faces of the Terracotta Army are individual.

The entire army was equipped with real weapons - crossbows, pikes and swords, most of which may have been borrowed by rebel peasants in ancient times, but even now tens of thousands of arrowheads and other types of weapons have been found.
Photo from the Terracotta Army Museum.

The attention to detail is simply amazing.

It is estimated that there may be thousands and thousands more warriors in the ground. Figures of officials, musicians and acrobats were also found.

Not all the warriors arrived in perfect condition; most of the figures were crushed by a heavy roof that collapsed in ancient times.

All the figures were very brightly painted, but the paints died from contact with oxygen when the warriors began to be removed to the surface.
Photo from the Terracotta Army Museum. I just don’t understand why they have blue noses? :)

There are many versions that answer the question of why all these figures were needed. As you know, during the earlier Chinese dynasties of the Shang and Zhou, it was customary to bury living people, but here they seemed to have decided, out of the kindness of their hearts, to replace them with clay copies.
"A warrior who wishes us well."

The figure of the general is the tallest of all, it is about 2 meters.

But there is one nuance here. Previously, the number of people buried with the rulers was relatively small - 100-200 people. The number of Qin Shi Huang's warriors is already more than 8,000, and it is unknown how many more will be found. Burying an entire army corps alive was probably beyond the power of even the great First Emperor. So we can talk not so much about the “great kindness” of the ruler, but about his increased desires.
In this sense, the wives of Qing Shih Huang were unlucky; according to Sima Qian, they were buried the same way - in their natural form. Apparently, the Chinese had a correct understanding of this issue - a clay woman will not replace a real one) As a result, they buried all the childless concubines; times were harsh.

Bronze models of Qin Shihuana's chariots. They are made almost life-size; many parts of the harness and the chariots themselves are made of gold and silver.

Sima Qian also testifies that many of the craftsmen who worked on the mausoleum were buried along with the emperor. Of course, burying everyone was just as problematic as burying the soldiers, because up to 700,000 people worked during the construction of the tomb. Recently, a mass grave of people was found west of the Qin Shi Huang pyramid, but there are only about a hundred people there, perhaps these are workers who died during construction. They died like flies, it was the well-known all-China hard labor.

"Tai Chi Warrior"

It is probably appropriate to cite here the text of Sima Qian itself, since this is the main source of our knowledge about the tomb of Qin Shi Huang.

“In the ninth moon, [the ashes] of Shi Huang were buried in Mount Lishan. Shi Huang, having first come to power, then began to break through Mount Lishan and build a [crypt] in it; Having united the Celestial Empire, [he] sent over seven hundred thousand criminals there from all over the Celestial Empire. They went deep to the third waters, filled [the walls] with bronze and lowered the sarcophagus down. The crypt was filled with [copies of] palaces, [figures of] officials of all ranks, rare things and extraordinary jewelry that were transported and lowered there. The craftsmen were ordered to make crossbows so that, [installed there], they would shoot at those who would try to dig a passage and get into [the tomb]. Large and small rivers and seas were made from mercury, and the mercury spontaneously flowed into them. A picture of the sky was depicted on the ceiling, and the outline of the earth on the floor. The lamps were filled with ren-yu fat in the hope that the fire would not go out for a long time
Er-shi said: “All the childless inhabitants of the back chambers of the palace of the late emperor should not be driven away,” and ordered them all to be buried along with the deceased. There were many dead. When the emperor's coffin was already lowered down, someone said that the craftsmen who made all the devices and hid [the valuables] knew everything and could spill the beans about the hidden treasures. Therefore, when the funeral ceremony was over and everything was covered, they blocked the middle door of the passage, after which they lowered the outer door, tightly walling up all the artisans and those who filled the grave with valuables, so that no one came out. They planted grass and trees [on top] so that the grave took on the appearance of an ordinary mountain.”

The text is very interesting and indeed very mysterious.
I am not an expert in Chinese translations, but I believe that the meaning of the passage is accurately conveyed. It is noteworthy that Sima Qian does not mention the construction of a giant pyramid in the text. A crypt is made in an already supposedly existing mountain. At the same time, most modern scientists recognize the artificiality of the Qin Shi Huang mound. This is such a contradiction...
The road from the Terracotta Army to the burial complex itself passes through very rough terrain, all dug into pits for some kind of flood agriculture. I thought that with such furious digging up of the territory by local peasants, it would not be a sin to find the emperor’s burial itself..

This is what Qin Shihuang's pyramid looks like now.

The height of the pyramid at the moment is about 50 meters. It is believed that the original structure was twice as large; different height data are given from 83 meters to 120. The length of the side of the base of the pyramid is 350 meters (For reference, the length of the side of the base of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt is 230 meters)

Don't think that Qin Shihuang's pyramid is such a pile of earth. Below is one of the reconstructions of the tomb. The pyramid was made from the same material as the Great Wall and almost all houses in China and Central Asia, that is, from compressed earth. This material can be as durable as concrete. For example, some earthen sections of the Great Wall of China dating back to the turn of the Common Era during the Han Dynasty are still standing, but later walls made of stones and baked bricks from the Ming Dynasty have already collapsed.

The only thing I don't like about this reconstruction is that there are three large steps. In the photo of the French researcher Victor Segalen, taken in 1909, the first and second large steps are clearly visible, then the pyramid, like the entire landscape, was “bald” and the division of the steps was clearly visible.

If you believe Sima Qian, then perhaps there was some kind of natural mountain at the base of the pyramid, where the emperor was buried. But maybe, as many researchers think, the First Emperor was not buried in his pyramid, his tomb is somewhere nearby.
The base of the pyramid is hidden by trees.

The upper platform of the Qin Shi Huang pyramid. Now access here has been closed so that tourists do not walk over the head of the First Emperor of China. It can be seen that the Chinese are trying to camouflage the upper platform with freshly planted trees. It’s not very clear why, probably to completely destroy the brains of various ufologists and other specialists in aliens and pre-civilizations.

The staircase was dismantled and the opening was planted with trees so that from a distance the presence of a passage here would be unnoticeable.

About 200 meters south of the pyramid, I discovered in the thickets a very decent vertical shaft dug by Chinese comrades. Apparently, they are not sitting idle, and the search for the entrance to the burial, although slowly, is underway..

This photo clearly shows how far from the pyramid the Chinese dug this shaft into the ground.

The mine is located inside the perimeter of the fortress walls that surrounded the entire burial complex. There were several such perimeters. The fortress walls of the tomb of Qin Shi Huang are not much inferior in size to the medieval walls of the city of Xi'an, the total length of the tomb walls is 12 km, the average height is 10 meters.

Reconstruction of the burial city of Qin Shi-huang.

Now the entire courtyard of the burial complex is overgrown with trees and bushes, but once there were many structures of a ritual nature, all that remains are the foundations. But the walls of the Inner Burial City can still be seen, and they are especially well preserved in the south.

Ruins of the southern gate of the complex. There were 10 of them in total.

The photo taken from the height of the pyramid clearly shows the south-eastern corner of the fortifications.

In some places the walls have been preserved to a height of two or three meters.

These bricks are at least 2210 years old...

I wonder why the pyramid has decreased so significantly in size. Of course, time and natural disasters took their toll, but most likely the tomb of the First Emperor of China was simply not completed.
Sima Qian also points out this:
“The throne was inherited [by] the heir Hu Hai, who became the second emperor-ruler - Er-shi-huangdi”…..
“After the death of Shi Huang, Hu Hai showed extreme stupidity: without completing the work at Mount Lishan, he resumed the construction of the Epan Palace in order to fulfill the plans previously outlined by [his father].”

Those. For the son, the palace was more important than his father's tomb. By the way, Epan Palace is one of the colossal buildings of ancient China; unfortunately, it has not reached us.

It is for this simple reason that the pyramid of Qin Shihuang is somewhat different from, for example, the more geometrically correct later pyramids of the Han Dynasty. And it’s not even about the size, but about the shape of the structure, which just doesn’t exist. The man-made mountain has a square only at the base, and I have suspicions that the Chinese specially designed this by cutting off part of the loess rock.

The first step of the pyramid's base is clearly visible here.

Here the first high step is neatly hidden by planted trees.

The mound is rounded at the top, the edges are almost completely absent. Because of this, I even got lost there - I went down not from the south, but from the west, and for a long time I could not understand where I was. We must not forget that one side of the Qing Shi Huang pyramid is 350 meters. And only from the air can you see what is there and how, but on the ground you can see only a dense forest and a gradual rise of the soil towards the center of the structure.

The general appearance of the southern courtyard of the funerary complex is complete emptiness, although a small line of ancient walls can be discerned.

This loess terrace, in the photo below, I initially took for a dam that protected the burial city of Qin Shihuang from floods, but the dam is most likely located further south. The entire province of Shaanxi consists of loess terraces like these, so it’s easy to get confused.

As in many other places in Shaanxi, Chinese peasants have dug their houses and barns into the terraces for centuries. The photo shows one of them.

The surrounding mountains look much more “pyramidal” than the largest Chinese pyramid. No matter how hard you try, the creations of nature will always be greater than any human deed.

East of the city of Xi'an, in the province of Shaanxi, there is a military garrison of thousands, this wonder of the world, known as - Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The underground burials contain at least 8,099 terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses. They were given the honor of being buried along with the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huang in 210-209. BC

In the Xi'an area, Chinese farmers had long found clay shards, but they were afraid to touch them, much less take them into their hands, because they believed that the strange shards were magical amulets - the source of various troubles. But already in 1974 everything was explained.

History of the Terracotta Army

One day, the farmer Yan Ji Wang began to dig a well on his plot of land. He didn't find water, but he did find something else. Yan Ji Wan came across the figure of an ancient warrior at a depth of 5 meters. The farmer's discovery shocked archaeologists. and subsequent excavations showed that she was not alone here. Several thousand warriors have been discovered by scientists. Terracotta soldiers have been buried in the ground for over 2,000 years since the death of the famous unifier of China - Qin Shi Huang.

Mount Lishan is a man-made Chinese necropolis. Material for terracotta

East of the city of Xi'an, in the province of Shaanxi, there is a military garrison of many thousands, this is a wonder of the world, known as the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The underground burials contain at least 8,099 terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses.

the soldiers were taken here. Construction of the Terracotta Army began in 247 BC. e., more than 700,000 artisans and workers took part in their construction, and it was completed, as art historians suggest, for 38 years. Qin Shi Huang was interred in 201 BC. e. According to the assumption of the Chinese historian Sima Qianyu, jewelry and handicrafts were also buried with him.

The horses and warriors of the Terracotta Army in China were created in different areas. Scientists have found out: the horses were made near Mount Lishan, most likely to facilitate their transportation (the weight of a horse is approximately 200 kg), the figures of the warriors are much lighter, about 135 kg, but the place of their creation is still unknown.

Later, on the site of the grandiose discovery, a city arose. Three pavilions protect the terracotta funerary army from weather and vandalism. Excavations of the terracotta horde have been going on for about 40 years, but their end is not in sight.

Terracotta is yellow or red clay that has been fired at a constant temperature of at least 1000 degrees for several days.

Yang Ji Wan found the first, main battle row of Qin Shi Huang, which contains approximately 6,000 terracotta figures. In 1980, archaeologists excavated a second column of 2,000 statues. Later, in 1994, the General Staff was discovered - a collection of senior military commanders.

About 700,000 craftsmen were involved in the creation of the imperial army. But why did the ancient Chinese need to spend effort and money creating this grandiose composition? And what other secrets does the land of this area keep?

The protracted, bloody period of the seven rival kingdoms ended with the unconditional victory of the Qin dynasty. The young and ambitious ruler Yin Zhen subjugated all the kingdoms one after another. Their capitals Zhao, Han, Wei, Yin, Chun and Qi were razed to the ground. For the first time in history, China achieved unity. Qin Shi Huang appointed himself emperor and immediately moved to reform and consolidate power. He took up the matter with the sophistication and scope characteristic of a tyrant.

His goal was to destroy any possibility of China's fragmentation and civil strife in the future. The Chinese Empire was divided into 36 districts, and two governors were appointed per district (civilian and military). The emperor tightened all standards: this concerned money, measures of length and weight, writing, construction, and even the width of the axle for carts. The standards established in the Qin kingdom served as a model.

The previous history of China was declared irrelevant. In 213 BC. the books and ancient chronicles of the defeated dynasties were burned. More than 460 scientists who were suspected of disloyalty to the new imperial regime were executed.

The Emperor believed that his dynasty would rule the Empire forever and therefore tried to create attributes befitting eternity. One of the results of the imperial thought about the eternal was the Great Wall of China.

Initially, the ruler wanted to bury 4 thousand young warriors with him, because this is what ancient Chinese tradition says, but his advisers managed to convince him not to do this. This barbaric act would inevitably lead to rebellion.

Then they decided to bury clay statues instead of people. But to be on the safe side, their number was increased. Their gaze was turned to the east, where all the kingdoms that suffered from the great tyrant were located.

The terracotta warriors were made with great jewelry, and their creators probably took amazing care. It is impossible to find identical faces in the entire retinue, because they simply do not exist. They reflect the multinationality of the Chinese empire, among them you can see not only the Chinese, but also Mongols, Uyghurs, Tibetans and many others. Details of clothing and hairstyles correspond to their time. The armor and shoes are reproduced with incredible precision.

The only difference from real people is their height. Their height is 1.90 - 1.95 meters. Divine Qin's army could not be this tall. The finished sculpture was fired in kilns with a firing temperature of 1,000 degrees. Afterwards, the artists painted them with natural colors. Slightly faded colors can still be seen today. However, after a few minutes spent in the air, the colors disappear.

The eleven passages of the main row of warriors are separated by walls. Whole tree trunks were placed on top, covered with mats and 30 cm of cement, and another 3 m of earth on top. This was done in order to protect the deceased emperor among the living.

But alas, the calculations could not live up to their expectations; a few years later this mighty terracotta army was defeated.

Qin Shihuangding died and his son, the weak-willed and weak Er Shihuangding, became the ruler of the empire. His inability to manage caused a storm of indignation among people. The revolt of the people, which the advisers feared, nevertheless occurred and there was no one to suppress it. The first defeat went to the Terracotta Army.

The indignant crowd plundered and burned the army, because the rebels had nowhere to get weapons. Its surplus was melted down and destroyed by Qin Shi Huang in order to avoid various incidents. Here, underground, there were 8,000 sets of bows, shields, spears and swords. They were the main target of the rioters. Government troops were defeated. The son of the great emperor was killed by his own courtiers.

For many centuries, robbers have been eager to dig up treasures; for some, it cost them their lives. Amazingly, the terracotta soldiers preserved the spirit of their ruler as best they could. They say that human skeletons were also found among the excavations. Ancient manuscripts say that colossal treasures were buried with the divine Qin, including the golden throne.

Qin Shi Huang knew how to create intrigue with his riddles. And one of the versions suggests that he is buried in another place, and this is just decoration. And if this is so, then the scale of the true burial can only be imagined in fantasy.

While removing the figures from the ground, archaeologists were puzzled by the problem - the paint dried instantly (5 minutes) and burst. And a solution was found - after various treatments (immersion in a container with a humid microclimate, coating with a special composition and irradiation), the warriors are exhibited in museums around the world; about 1,500 statues have now been removed. There is a museum directly at the discovery site; the first exhibition opened in 1979, but it appeared in all its glory in 1994.

Along with the Great Wall of China and the Shaolin Monastery, the Terracotta Army in China is on the list of the most famous landmarks around the world. If you are lucky enough to travel around Asia, and specifically in China , then be sure to check out the Xi'an Terracotta Army Museum.

The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China in 1987.

The Terracotta Army is a burial site of 8,099 full-size terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses, discovered in 1974 near the tomb of Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang near the city of Xi'an.
The Mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (III century BC) is located at the foot of Mount Lishan near the city of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, almost in the very center of China. This is the largest mausoleum in the world, it occupies an area of ​​more than 2 million square meters. meters. Records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (the now preserved earthen mound, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high).

Mount Lishan is a man-made necropolis of the first Qin emperor. Construction of the mausoleum began in 247 BC. e., required the efforts of more than 700 thousand workers and artisans and lasted 38 years. Initially, the Mausoleum included several halls, both underground and above ground. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was buried in the largest of these underground “palaces” in 210 BC. e. with its Terracotta Army, more than 8 thousand sculptures.
The figures of the terracotta warriors themselves are life-size. All of them are lined up in straight lines, creating the effect of being ready for battle. The material for the figures was taken directly from the mountain in which the mausoleum was built.

However, according to research conducted, it was concluded that the warriors and horses of the Terracotta Army were sculpted in other areas of China.
The researchers found that horses were made directly next to the necropolis, probably to simplify their transportation (the weight of a horse sculpture is about 200 kilograms), the statues of warriors are lighter, their weight is approximately 135 kilograms, and the place of their production is still unknown.

For a long time, Chinese landowners from the vicinity of Xi'an found clay shards of very strange shapes. In 1974, a simple Chinese peasant, Yan Jiwan, decided to dig a well. He never made it to the water, but he discovered something more. At a depth of 5 meters, he came across a crypt with life-size terracotta figures of warriors in full combat gear sculpted.
Scientists began excavations and discovered an entire army. Several thousand clay figures lay in the ground for over 2 thousand years. This is exactly how much time has passed since the death of the first Emperor of the Celestial Empire, Qin Shi Huang, the legendary unifier of China.

The young ruler subjugated all the provinces one after another. The capitals of the kingdoms of Zhao, Wei, Han, Chun, Yin and Qi were razed to the ground. For the first time in history, China became united. Qin Shi Huang declared himself emperor and immediately began government reforms and strengthening the vertical of power. The new ruler took up the matter with the scope and sophistication characteristic of a tyrant. Qin Shi Huang tried to destroy the very possibility of fragmentation and civil strife in the future. The empire was divided into 36 districts, in each of which two governors were appointed - a military and a civilian. Qin Shi Huang introduced strict standards for everything: money, measures of weight and length, writing, construction, even the width of the axle for carts, so that the carts could easily get from one end of the mighty empire to the other. Naturally, the standards of the Qin kingdom were taken as a model. All previous history was declared irrelevant. In 213 BC. the ancient chronicles and books of all the conquered kingdoms were burned. More than 460 scientists suspected of disloyalty to the new regime were executed.

The first Chinese emperor was convinced that the Qin dynasty would rule forever, so he decided to surround the kingdom with attributes befitting eternity. First of all, this. Then, surrounded by the city of the dead, the tomb of the monarch, the excavation of which archaeologists still do not dare to begin. And finally, the Terracotta Army as part of this grandiose complex.
According to ancient Chinese tradition, Qin Shi Huang planned to bury 4 thousand of his own soldiers with him. However, in order to avoid a possible rebellion, the emperor's advisers managed to convince the monarch to make do with clay statues, the retinue of which was doubled - up to 8 thousand figures.

The warrior figures are true works of art, as they were made individually, by hand, and using various techniques. First the body was sculpted. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. This is where the center of gravity falls. The top part is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it was burned in the oven. Finally, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it a personalized expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of his clothing and ammunition. The sculptor accurately conveyed the hairstyle of each warrior, which was the subject of special attention at that time. The firing of the figures lasted several days, at a constant temperature of at least 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were sculpted became as strong as granite.

Among the warriors there are not only Chinese, but also Mongols, Uighurs, Tibetans and many others. All details of clothing or hairstyle strictly correspond to the fashion of that time. Shoes and armor are reproduced with amazing accuracy. After giving the required shape, the statues were baked and covered with a special organic glaze, over which paint was applied. The warriors presented differ in rank (officers, ordinary soldiers), as well as in the type of weapon (spear, crossbow or sword). In addition to clay statues, in 1980, two bronze chariots, each consisting of more than 300 parts, were discovered 20 meters from the emperor’s tomb. The chariots are drawn by four horses, the harness of which also contains silver elements.

Soon after the death of the emperor, his tomb was plundered, and a fire caused by robbers led to the collapse of the ceiling, burying thousands of clay troops in wet soil for more than two thousand years. Although the plundered tomb could in fact be just one of the “dummy” objects created as a distraction, and the real tomb still needs to be looked for.
According to scientists, the Terracotta Army was made from life: after death, the warrior’s soul was supposed to move into a clay body.
The Terracotta Army is a clear illustration of the former greatness of the imperial army: in front are 210 archers, behind them are warriors with halberds and spears, as well as 35 horse-drawn war chariots.

All of them face east, where the kingdoms destroyed by the emperor were located. Perhaps the only unreliability of the sculptures is associated with their unreasonably high height (1.9-1.95 m). It is possible that this is an attempt to emphasize the greatness of the monarch buried nearby.
The emperor ordered the construction of the tomb to begin in 246 BC. e., shortly after his accession to the throne of the Qin kingdom; At the same time, work began on creating the Terracotta Army.
An army of clay warriors rests in battle formation in parallel crypts 1.5 kilometers east of the tomb of the emperor himself. The latter, in turn, is located 33 km east of the city of Xian, the modern administrative center of Shaanxi province, one of the central provinces of China.

The Terracotta Army, buried with its ruler, should probably have provided him with the opportunity to satisfy his imperious desires in the other world in the same way as he did during life. And although instead of living warriors, contrary to the usual tradition, clay copies of them were buried with the emperor, we should not forget that in addition to the statues of warriors, according to various estimates, up to 70 thousand workers were buried with Qin, along with their families, as well as about three thousand concubines. And these people, unlike the soldiers, were quite real.
Today, historical excavations are reliably protected from vandals and bad weather by three large pavilions. A whole city arose on the site of the historical find. Excavations have been going on for more than 25 years, and there is no end in sight. Yang Jiwan came across the first and, apparently, main battle formation of Qin Shi Huang - about 6,000 figures. In 1980, scientists excavated a second column - about 2,000 statues. In 1994, an underground general staff was discovered - a meeting of senior military leaders.

The eleven passages of the main excavation are separated by thick walls. The ancient craftsmen placed solid tree trunks on top, mats on them, then 30 cm of cement and 3 m of earth. All this was supposed to reliably protect the dead emperor in the kingdom of the living. Alas, the calculation did not come true. Within a few years, such a powerful army suffered a crushing defeat. After the death of Qin Shihuangding, his son, the weak and weak-willed Er Shihuangding, ascended the throne. His inept actions on the throne caused a storm of popular indignation.

The peasant revolt, which the advisers of the first emperor so feared, nevertheless broke out, and there was no one to suppress it with an iron hand. It was the Terracotta Army that suffered the first defeat. Outraged crowds plundered and burned the motionless army. It should be noted that this was not just an act of senseless vandalism; the destruction had a purely practical significance. The fact is that the rebels had nowhere to take weapons: Qin Shi Huang melted down or destroyed everything unnecessary to avoid such incidents. And here, quite recklessly, 8,000 excellent sets of real bows and arrows, spears, shields and swords were buried underground. They became the main target of the rebels. It is very symbolic that the rebels seized weapons from the funerary army of the great Qin. Government troops were defeated. The mediocre son of the great ruler was killed by his own courtiers.

For centuries, robbers have tried to find treasures in the imperial tombs. For some, these attempts cost their lives. Clay soldiers guarded the spirit of their master. More than one human skeleton was found among the excavated statues. Today even the clay from which the walls are made has turned golden. One clay brick from the Qin Shi Huang era costs tens of thousands of dollars. The owner of just one brick can exchange it for, say, a decent mansion in the vicinity of Beijing. However, these are all minor things. The ancient scrolls contain information that countless treasures were buried with the divine Qin, which have not yet been found, including the golden throne of the first emperor. Qin Shihuangdi knew how to ask riddles. According to one version, he is actually buried in a completely different place, and this is just a decoration. Well, if this is really the case, then one can only guess about the scale of the true burial.

When excavating the statues, scientists encountered a very sad phenomenon: in the air, the outer layer of the sculptures quickly degraded. According to Heinz Lanhols, an archaeologist at the University of Munich, “after being removed from the ground, the statues immediately begin to dry out, and literally within five minutes their coloring begins to peel and peel.” This occurs when the relative humidity of the environment drops to 84%. To explain the cause of the observed phenomenon, scientists conducted a chemical analysis of the statues.

It turned out that the reason for the instability of the paint was due to the fact that the organic composition used before painting underwent irreversible chemical changes during a long stay in wet soil. Therefore, now, as it dries, it begins to peel off from the underlying base along with the pigment applied on top. To avoid degradation of integuments, Lanhols and his colleagues proposed the following technology. Statues removed from the ground are immediately placed in containers, the humidity in which is maintained at the same level as in the ground. Next, the entire surface of the sculptures is treated with an aqueous solution of a substance called hydroxyethyl methacrylate. It is a monomer of some types of plastic produced today. Its molecules are small in size and penetrate into the smallest pores filled with moisture.

After this treatment, the statues are sent to the nearby town of Linton, where the particle accelerator is located. With the help of the latter, warriors are irradiated with high-energy electrons, which causes polymerization of molecules and the formation of “glue” that firmly binds the covers of the statue to the underlying terracotta.
The advantages of this method are that the molecules are water-soluble and small enough to penetrate into the smallest crevices, and that the resulting polymer does not alter the appearance of the statues, as many other compounds do, which, when hardened, cause some shine to the surface. Scientists have already processed the fragments of several statues in the described manner and are very pleased with the result. Excavations continue and it is still completely unknown how many more clay warriors rest around the tomb of the ancient emperor.

Recently, the China Daily newspaper reports, the Terracotta Army was replenished with another 114 Terracotta Warriors. Archaeologists discovered them during excavations near the ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an.
The head of the archaeological expedition, Xu Weidong, told reporters that the main feature of the new statues is their well-preserved bright coloring. Unfortunately for experts, most of the terracotta figures found were broken. And now experts are literally gluing together the found parts. According to Xu Weidong, on average it takes up to 10 days to “repair” one warrior.

Photos of the findings will be released to the public later in May, the China Daily reported. According to the description, the height of the warrior figures is from 1.8 to 2 meters, they are dark-haired, dark-browed and dark-eyed, and their faces are painted in white, pink or greenish tones.
Excavations carried out on an area of ​​200 square meters also showed that the tomb hall had experienced a fire in the past - this is evidenced by traces of soot on the figures of warriors and the walls of the room.
The discovery of the Terracotta Army became one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The researchers who carried out the excavations were winners of the 2010 Prince of Asturias Prize for Social Sciences.

Nowadays, anyone can look at the Terracotta Army. True, only the first pit is reserved for the museum, but the main part of all the statues is there. The museum shows video footage of the excavations, and other figures are on display, including two miniature bronze chariots with half-life-size horses and drivers. The latter were discovered in 1980 and represent exactly the vehicles used by the emperor, his concubines and his staff of courtiers.
In order to further preserve this miracle, a pavilion with a vaulted ceiling was built above the terracotta army. Its dimensions are 200 by 72 meters. It is shaped like an indoor swimming pool or stadium.

The excavations are not yet completely finished; they are still ongoing. And they will probably not end soon. The reason for this is not only the size of the tomb and not the lack of financial assistance to archaeologists from the state. To a greater extent, this is the eternal fear of the Chinese before the world of the dead. Even today they treat the ashes of their ancestors with trepidation, fearing to desecrate them with their unholy touch. So, according to Professor Yuan Jungai: “Many years will pass before we can finally continue the excavations.”
The discovery in Xi'an province is of great historical significance. It made it possible to learn about how the ancient Chinese army was equipped. And, besides, the Terracotta Army is a real sculptural miracle.