Terra
Cotta Warriors
The Terra Cotta Warriors and
Horses are the most significant archeological
excavations of the 20th century. Work is
ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5
kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's
Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaanxi province.
It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor
to China.
Upon ascending the throne at
the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang,
later the first Emperor of all China, had
work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11
years to finish. It is speculated that many
buried treasures and sacrificial objects
had accompanied the emperor in his after
life. A group of peasants uncovered some
pottery while digging for a well nearby
the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention
of archeologists immediately. They came
to Xian in droves to study and to extend
the digs. They had established beyond doubt
that these artifacts were associated with
the Qin Dynasty (211 --206 BC).
The State Council authorized
to build a museum on site in 1975. When
completed, people from far and near came
to visit. Xian and the Museum of Qin Terra
Cotta Warriors and Horses have become landmarks
on all travelers' itinerary.
Life size terracotta figures
of warriors and horses arranged in battle
formations are the star features at the
museum. They are replicas of what the imperial
guard should look like in those days of
pomp and vigor.
The museum covers an area of
16,300 square meters, divided into three
sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No.
3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in
the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit
is the largest, first opened to the public
on China's National Day, 1979. There are
columns of soldiers at the front, followed
by war chariots at the back.
No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is
20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained
over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots
of wood. It was unveiled to the public in
1994.Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also
in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit.
It looked like to be the command center
of the armed forces. It went on display
in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot
and four horses.
Altogether over 7,000 pottery
soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons
have been unearthed from these pits. Most
of them have been restored to their former
grandeur.
The Terracotta Warriors and
Horses is a sensational archeological find
of all times. It has put Xian on the map
for tourists. It was listed by UNESCO in
1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
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