The Terracotta Army - China

The Terracotta Army also known as the “soldier and horse funerary statues” is part of the First Emperor’s burial site, representing Qui Shi Huang’s personal army and one of the most notable of China’s tourist attractions. The artefacts were discovered in 1974 in  Xi’an in the Shaanxi Province of China by a small group of local farmers who uncovered fragments of pottery and an underground chamber while digging a water well. For more than 2000 years, the safest place for such artefacts and representations of China’s heritage has been underground. While one of the oldest civilizations, China has been at war with its past as each ruler attempted to eradicate all traces of the past ruler. Had the warrior’s been discovered during the Cultural Revolution they would not be here today, the fact that they are so well preserved, has made them included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known to be the 8^th wonder of the world.

The Terracotta Army consists of over 8000 terracotta sculptures of lifelike and life sized warriors, horses and chariots, musicians, strongmen, archers and officials. Preparation of the tomb occupied thousands of workers over many years and 20 families were ordered to live and watch over the site. Each statue is unique and no two are identical, they range from 183-193 cm tall and weigh approximately 18 kilograms each. The height of the sculpture reflects the rank and the function in the Army. The sculptures were made in workshops by government laborers and by local craftsmen. Each figures was made in small parts, then the legs, heads and arms were assembled, to each sculpture elaborate features were added, and individual facial expressions.  The sculptures were painted in bright colors which unfortunately faded over the centuries, especially when the sculptures were discovered and exposed to the natural light.

The Terracotta Army not only is an amazing monument and display of funerary art from a dynasty that, built the system of roads and canals, standardized the written language, monetary and law system and started the ambitious project of the Great Wall of China, in addition the excavation also shows the strong position of the present Emperor who ordered such a huge venture requiring an enormous input of work to excavate the site and make it available for all to experience.

Gallery - The Terracotta Army

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