The Terracotta Army is the group of sculptures that were made showing the armies of the first emperor of china-Qin Shi Huang. This art was done and buried with the emperor between 210 and 209 BC to give him subjects and for his protection in death. The figures were discovered in 1974 by local farmers drilling for water in Linton District, east of Xi’an in Shaanxi province near the first Qin Emperor’s mausoleum and are dating from 3rd Century BC.
The figures are of different heights in accordance with their roles in the army with the generals being the tallest. Three pits contain the terracotta army which includes warriors, chariots and horses with the current estimates placing the figures at over 8,000, 130 and 520 respectively and 150 cavalry horses.
View of the Terracotta Army
Around the tomb mound of the first emperor, located at the foot of mount Li, a man-made necropolis for the Emperor has been found in addition to the warriors. Construction of the mausoleum began in 246 BC after Emperor Qin took over the throne where 700, 000 workers and craftsmen took part before the completion date (Sima Qian 145-90BC). The magnificent geology of Mount Li made it a favored location (Li Daoyuan); rich in gold and beautiful jade on the northern and southern sides respectively. This influenced the first Emperor’s choice of a site where he was later buried with towers, officials, artifacts and other objects found in palaces (Sima Qian, Shiji).
The mound where the tomb is located
According to scientific research work done most recently, the site of the tomb has high levels of mercury, the tomb space is sealed and the size estimated to be equal to that of a modern football pitch, located under the pyramidal mound. The tomb is not open to guarantee the preservation of the artifacts after previous experiences where the figures were affected by the ordinary environmental conditions after excavation. However, only a portion is excavated with visitations limited to a few dignitaries like the Queen of England and photography for both still and motion pictures limited.
A terracotta soldier with his horse
Government workers and craftsmen from the local community used material from mount Li to make the warriors in workshops. This was a whole production line where different parts of the body were made separately and assembled together after being firing. For example, eight face mounds were likely used and clay added to give it facial expressions as real life as possible. Workshops impressed their names on whatever they produced as a way of implementing and ensuring quality control. The terracotta figures were made with life sizes and placed in military formation making sure to reflect on their ranks and duties by way of dressing, hairdo and height.
View of pit one, the largest excavation pit of the Terracotta army
The site has of four pits located 1.5km east of burial mound and each is around 7m deep. The military formation used to place the figures is as if to protect the Emperor from attacks by states he had conquered. Pit one contains the main army of 6,000 or more figures and it measures 230m by 62m. It has corridors whose design resembles the palace hallways. Pit two is the military guard, pit three is the command center and pit four is empty.
Findings
Such weapons as spears, battle-axe, scimitars, shields, crossbows, arrowheads and sword among others have been found at the terracotta pits. It is surprising that after 2,000 years, some of them are as sharp as they originally were and some even coated with chromium oxide which the westerners became aware of as late as in the 18th century.
Exhibitions
The collection has been displayed in a number of Museums around the world and all have recorded phenomenon turn out during these events. For example, they have been displayed in London museum September 2007 and April 2008, at Forum de Barcelona in Barcelona Spain between May and September 2004, the Bowers museum in Santa Ana, California, Houston museum of Natural Science, High museum of Art and many others.
