Terracotta Army, built over 2000 years ago, is called the eighth wonder of the world. A huge army of almost 8,000 life-size warriors, relatively well preserved thanks to terracotta (baked clay). It serves as a magnificent example of the artistic skill of ancient sculptors.
What is the Terracotta Army?
Here are represented not only the infantry, but also the cavalry.
But also chariots.
excavation area
The Terracotta Army is not the whole find. This is only a small part of the vast mausoleum with an area of about 100 square meters. km. Hundreds of underground chambers are filled with sculptures of warriors, birds, animals, acrobats, officials and musicians.
There are also graves where people and horses were buried alive. Warriors, created 2200 years ago, are surrounded by mysterious burial mounds. The excavations of this gigantic underground complex have changed the perception of ancient China.
The value of the terracotta army
Before the discovery of the Terracotta Army, we knew little about the Qin Empire, and only now have we got a complete picture of how the warriors dressed and what weapons they used. There was no knowledge, because almost all the writing of that time was destroyed. The oldest surviving description of the Qin Empire is dated almost 100 years after the Terracotta Army was made. It tells about a despotic empire where scientists are buried alive. However, no ancient source mentions terracotta warriors. They spent over 2000 years in darkness and oblivion. The very fact of their existence was forgotten.
How was the terracotta army discovered?
In 1974, in the Chinese province of Shaanxi, a local resident Yan and his neighbors decided to dig a well. While digging in the ground, they came across something that at first they thought was the rim of a pot.
And then they found bronze objects.
Then they began to come across fragments of some clay products.
After they stumbled upon a statue - they opened the upper part of the armor and the arm. At first they thought it was an ancient temple or tomb. In China, finding a grave is a bad omen. As it turned out, they made the main archaeological discovery in the last 100 years, since the find belonged to the era of the first emperor.
After some time, other fragments of terracotta were discovered - parts of the legs, bodies without a head, and even figures of horses. For so long, they were simply crushed by the earth. All this once rested in three gigantic rooms.
From discovery to museum
This was followed by a long process of restoration, accompanied by numerous discoveries.
After that, the warriors were installed in the main hall. To date, there are over 1100 sculptures. But this is only a part of those 6,000 soldiers who were buried here. More than 1000 warriors stood in the second and third halls.
The director of the museum claims that new discoveries are constantly being made. Excavations are underway at five sites. In 2009, new excavations began in the main hall. Hundreds of terracotta actors and acrobats have been discovered.
In addition to broken statues, swords, spearheads and arrowheads were found.
What do we know about the creation of the Terracotta Army?
All this was done in 37 years, exactly as many rules of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor and founder of the Qin dynasty. He became ruler in 246 BC. e. Most likely, it was then that work began on this mausoleum. And this is surprising - after all, for 200 years, the Qin kingdom waged continuous wars with six neighboring states.
The first emperor defeated them and became the ruler of the state, where millions of inhabitants lived. In size, this power was comparable to the Roman Empire. He introduced a single judicial system and currency throughout China and connected the cities with a network of roads, completed the construction of the first (not to be confused with the wall built less than 500 years ago). The state that we today call China owes its appearance to the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
The Chinese naturally find it hard to come to terms with the idea that he was a cruel tyrant under whose rule hundreds of thousands of people died. Sima Qian, a writer and historian of the time, describes some of these atrocities - the massacre of prisoners of war, the burning of books, and the death penalty for criticism. On the other hand, he united China - various states with different languages were forcibly fastened into a single whole.
The construction of a tomb of unprecedented size was to be the greatest achievement of the emperor. Studies show that the territory of the mausoleum is larger than originally thought. Since the opening of the main hall, the excavation area has grown greatly. Today they are carried out on an area of more than 50 square meters. km.
In the very center of this territory, the emperor ordered the erection of a tomb for himself.
Judging by the chronicles (due to the high concentration of mercury, excavations were not carried out in the tomb), it was located under a mound, the height of which reached 115 m.
Below him, in the center of a huge tomb, stood a bronze coffin with the body of the emperor, who supposedly died from mercury, which he took to gain immortality.
On the floor is a map of rivers and seas, where mercury played the role of water.
The ceiling is decorated with images of celestial bodies.
There is also a model of the relief of China.
The emperor believed that he could take all this with him to the afterlife. Death is just a rebirth - says a well-known proverb. All these people, animals and objects were supposed to serve the emperor after death.
The emperor rests in the very center of the vast complex, in the same luxury to which he was accustomed in life.
Hundreds of horse graves have also been discovered. Scientists have counted about 600 of them. There are also statues of musicians, acrobats, weightlifters, as well as scientists and scribes. This is not an easy burial place - this is the pleasure palace of the emperor. His spirit could even travel in two chariots. Each was harnessed by four bronze horses, richly decorated with harness. To protect his own person, he ordered the terracotta army to be placed on the eastern side, as a barrier between the tomb and the conquered states.
In ancient times, it was believed that the spirits of the emperor's countless victims would seek retribution in the afterlife. The security of the emperor's spirit was to be ensured by the terracotta warriors buried with their master.
How was the terracotta army created?
Looking at the damaged statues sheds some light on their creation. Each of them was sculpted by craftsmen by hand. From their fragments and fragments, one can see how torso sculptors applied clay layer by layer.
In this photo, the marks are visible - the master spread his fingers and began to level the clay. On average, each warrior weighs about 200 kg.
Arms, hands and legs were cast. For the legs, molds intended for the production of pipes were used. It turned out many different legs and arms, which were combined to achieve diversity. The empty mold was filled with clay, covered and left to dry before firing.
Careful examination convinced scientists that all the faces of the statues are different. Some warriors have fair skin, others darker.
The vegetation on the faces is different.
They also differ in the shape of the eyes.
Hairstyles are also infinitely different.
There is no doubt that all this is strictly individual. But are there repetitions? The shape of the human ear is as inimitable and unique as fingerprints.
Studies have shown that the shape of the ears of terracotta warriors is different, so the warriors differ from each other in the same way as other people. Apparently, the emperor wished that a real army guarded his peace. However, only the most skillful sculptors could give individuality to so many warriors.
Approximately so patiently, manually, warriors were sculpted over 2000 years ago. It took about 3 days to make one warrior.
Over the years of careful restoration, museumification and study, scientists have come to the conclusion that at the time of creation, the terracotta army did not look like it does today. Faded traces of dyes were found on the clay bodies, hands and heads. This indicates that the warriors were once brightly painted.
This is what they looked like 2200 years ago. Glittering rows of war chariots and painted statues, fully armed.
Even today, terracotta warriors look intimidating, but once they were terrifying. How were they armed - with real weapons or fake ones (dummy)? The wooden elements are rotten. Only the metal remnants of the warriors' weapons remained.
How are they produced and used?
Scientists conducted an examination, which showed that the weapon was sharpened. Even now it looks quite sharp. This means that the mass sharpening of weapons by machine methods was carried out in the era of the Qin Dynasty.
Terracotta army weapons
The blade of the weapon of the terracotta warriors in an enlarged view.
Only one tool could leave such even marks - a grindstone, on which metal blades are sharpened. There are no nicks or large scratches on the blades, which means that these weapons, most likely, have never been used, that is, they were created specifically for the terracotta army.
Terracotta warriors stand in strict order of battle.
In the center is infantry armed with massive halberds. In ancient China, this weapon was almost indispensable in combat and was successfully used even against cavalry.
Along with the pike and halberd, ancient Chinese troops used a wide range of weapons, including spears and long swords. But there was one type of weapon in the use of which the Chinese had no equal - bows. Written sources testify that they invented the crossbow long before the establishment of the Qin Empire. He became the perfect weapon of his era.
The original crossbows have not been preserved, only bronze parts found on the floor have remained of them. This is a working copy. They took a place in the center of the infantry for their protection.
Arrowheads are of great importance - more than 40 thousand of them were found in excavations. Scientists have found that they consist of bronze - an artificial alloy of copper and tin. It would be more logical to assume that the tips are made from a single piece of bronze. But there is more tin in the tip than in the handle, so that it does not break on impact. The higher the tin content, the stronger the tip. The presence of a combination of two alloys shows the high level of professionalism of the ancient masters.
Who created the terracotta army?
The terrible secret of the construction of the tomb was discovered by a find at the far western border of the underground complex. Many graves of workers who died from overwork were found here. Next to each skeleton lay a clay tablet with the name of the deceased.
Here is an example of a typical worker's plate. He borrowed money from the state and could not repay the debt on time, and then he came to the construction site to work, and as a result found his death.
Forced labor created the Qin empire itself.
Scientists were able to understand the conditions of labor organization and control of workers:
1. Different teams of workers worked on the production of weapons.
2. There was quality control, i.e. the product was labeled with the workers who made the product. If it turned out to be of poor quality, then the workers were punished.
Over 450 inscriptions on the figures of soldiers confirm that the workers were divided into brigades. The names of more than 90 foremen have been preserved, each of whom led 10 foremen. They were recruited in palace and private workshops.
About control
In the Qin Empire, not only theft and murder were considered a crime, but also unprofessional work. Failure to meet high quality requirements was punished instantly and mercilessly: the perpetrators were tortured and maimed, and some were executed. This system was called "legism" and it was terrible. Historiographer Sima Qian described a society where fear reigned, and it was divided into small cells, where everyone followed everyone, and responsibility was collective. Every 5-10 houses formed their own cell. For failure to report, all residents were punished without exception. This system came from the army and was applied on a state scale, i.e. artisans and blacksmiths in the empire were subject to its laws.
Criticism
There is a version that the terracotta army is not real. That is, allegedly the Chinese forged this army to attract tourists. But this version is implausible, because:
1. Back in 1987, the army was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This list just doesn't fit.
2. The find was made in 1974, during the regime of Mao Zedong. At that time there was no market economy, tourism and other benefits of modern civilization. Accordingly, there was no point in forging something.
3. Terracotta warriors are constantly being researched by various scientists and archaeologists from various countries. The fake would have been discovered sooner or later.
Museum
The Terracotta Army Museum was built from 1979 to 1994. At the moment there are three exhibition halls with a total area of about 190,000 sq.m.
Museum visitors are of two types. Some see beauty in details - they can approach one warrior and admire the expression of his face for a long time, as if alive or with a hairstyle. Others are struck by the scale of the structure and its secrets. Therefore, if there is an opportunity, we recommend visiting this place.
Sometimes some archaeological discoveries seriously change the course. That is why historians are so reverent about this kind of discoveries. Today we will tell you about the Terracotta Army.
Terracotta Army of China
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 worldwide sensation, so it was not in vain that some dubbed it.
Today, the Terracotta Army is one of the main attractions of China, along with.
We bring to your attention interesting facts about this extraordinary ancient burial.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang's army
In 1974, near the city of Xi'an, a 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-sized clay warriors and horses. In addition to terracotta sculptures, tens of thousands of bronze weapons were also found.
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 have 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 production of this army.
Creation
Terracotta statues were buried together with the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty - Qin Shi Huang (united 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 Huang) began to build his own 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 in 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, their clay copies were buried with the emperor, according to various estimates, up to 70 thousand workers were also buried along with their families.
Basic information
The statues were discovered in March 1974 by local farmers while drilling an artesian well east of Mount Lishan.
Mount Lishan is a man-made necropolis of the first Emperor Qin. The material for some of the statues was taken from this one.
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 the excavations began. The 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. Among these warriors there are privates, archers, cavalrymen and commanders-in-chief.
In relative proximity to the burial site, archaeologists have 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 today are puzzled over how these statues were made. It is definitely clear that initially the figures were given one form or another, and then they were fired. But how?
The fact is that nearby archaeologists did not find a single kiln for firing. And this is not surprising, because at that time people did not yet have such highly developed technologies necessary for the manufacture of such sculptures. In addition, each statue is covered with a special glaze and painted with paint.
Unbelievable but true
There is another, no less interesting mystery: why, for more than 2000 years, the weapon has not only not faded, but even not become dull? The examination showed that the composition of all metal objects contains chromium.
Notice how the faces of these two soldiers differ from each other. Each statue is unique. But how could he be there if they learned how to make it only at the beginning of the 20th century? Did the ancient Chinese have such high technology? But all units of military weapons made at the highest level.
One of the most striking finds associated with the terracotta army is found near the mausoleum 2 bronze chariots.
They are drawn by four beautiful horses, which were obviously intended for the emperor's horse rides in the other world.
Each of these wagons is made from over 3,000 elements, which individually are true works of art. On the chariots you can see drawings of the Phoenix bird, dragon and.
In addition to bronze, some details are made of silver and gold. Among all the discovered artifacts found in China throughout history, these wagons are the most magnificent.
Soon, after the death of the emperor, a fire broke out in the tomb, as a result of which it was plundered. According to ancient chronicles, it contained a large number 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. What is the number of artifacts found worth, not to mention how accurately they are made with jewelry.
Pay attention to these photos:
Terracotta warriors were once painted. Today, only a few statues contain small amounts of paint. Also pay attention to the details of the sole of the warrior. 
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 complex "Tomb of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty."
The tomb complex of Qin Shi Huang was the first of the Chinese sites included in this list. A visit to the Terracotta Army is often included in the program of visiting foreign heads of state in China.
In 1984, the exposition was visited by President Ronald Reagan and his wife. He regarded this historical monument as "a great miracle belonging to mankind."
In 1986, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain visited with Prince Philip. In 1998, the monument was visited by US President Bill Clinton and his family, and in 2004 by the President.
Terracotta Army today
The excavations of the Terracotta Army have not been completely stopped until now, as the Chinese authorities are doing everything possible to identify and preserve the legacy of their ancestors. However, at the official level, excavations are not currently carried out.
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 may very well be that many more interesting and amazing artifacts are hidden underground. Therefore, even more new and amazing discoveries can await us ahead.
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Having died, this ruler literally took with him to the grave the greatness and prosperity of the empire he created...
“If you die, you won’t take anything with you,” says folk wisdom. But the first Chinese emperor did not think so, he intended to take everything that was possible to the next world. Even the army. The mystery of the Terracotta Army still haunts the minds of scientists today.
In March 1974, in Shaanxi province, one and a half kilometers from the majestic burial mound of the ancient Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, local peasants were digging a well. They searched for water, but found a life-sized clay head and torso.
Later, archaeologists removed from the ground and reassembled hundreds of statues of terracotta warriors and horses.
The clay army, over 2200 years old, was known as a new wonder of the world, after which its soldiers "traveled" half the world, attracting a record number of visitors to the museums where they exhibited.
Ruled in the III century BC. e. the first unifier of China (the name Qin Shi Huang, which he adopted as a result of his conquests, is translated as “the first heavenly ruler from the house of Qin”) desperately did not want to die. The ancient Chinese historian Sima Qian wrote that the emperor repeatedly instructed his subjects to find a drug that gave eternal life, and could not stand talking about death. However, the ruler also took care not to need anything if he still had to go to the afterlife.
Qin Shi Huang took with him to the grave "models" of his empire and palace, statues of officials, artists, servants. And an army of thousands of terracotta soldiers and officers.
Ideal State
The burial of the First Emperor is located according to feng shui: according to this teaching, you need to bury, as well as settle, where the qi energy lingers, that is, between mountains and water
Terracotta Army
Castle. The ruins on the upper level of the Inner City are the remains of a palace used not for ceremonies, but for feasts and recreation. Such palaces were often built in ancient Chinese burial complexes.
Remains of caretakers' houses. Officials lived here, whose duty it was to maintain order in the burial complex.
Chariots. Two bronze chariots with four horses were found in a square pit - an open combat chariot (in battle such were in the vanguard of the Qin army) and equipped with a closed cabin (probably for inspection trips around the country). The chariots and horses are half their natural size.
"Pond". Clay figures of servants, musicians, as well as bronze statues of birds living near the water were found here: cranes (an ancient Chinese symbol of longevity), geese and swans.
Mound. Below it are the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and the underground palace. What is in them remains a mystery: the authorities do not give permission for large-scale excavations, fearing to damage the treasures.
Cemetery builders. More than a hundred graves, from one to 14 bodies each. Ancient Chinese historians reported that more than 700 thousand people were sent to the construction. Mostly state slaves who fell into bondage for debts or misconduct, or prisoners of war, worked here. When they were buried, pieces of tiles were placed over the remains with information about the deceased: name, place of residence, rank and the crime committed.
"Palace Menagerie". Statues of servants, bowls and collars, skeletons of wild animals and birds have been found here. This is probably an imitation of a menagerie where rare animals were kept for hunting.
Pit officials. Terracotta figures of officials 1.8–1.9 m high and charioteers, the remains of a wooden chariot and bones of horses were found here.
"Stable"- pits in which the skeletons of imperial horses, ceramic vessels for food and statues of grooms were found.
Graves of the nobility. According to researchers, possible rivals of Qin Shi Huang's son, who were executed by him after coming to power, are buried here: high dignitaries and half-brothers and sisters.
Pits with acrobats. They found 11 terracotta figures of acrobats and equipment for performances: tripods, spears, bronze vessels.
Structural solution
Qin Shi Huang wanted something strange from his subjects: clay figurines were placed in the graves even before him, but never before in Ancient China had they made life-size realistic statues of people. I had to develop the technology of a new "mass production"
Each warrior has individual facial features, and the shape of the ears is also different.
Initially, the figures were brightly colored, the colors corresponded to ranks and divisions.
Terracotta army pits
They are located on the approaches to the mound: clay warriors, as it were, are put up to protect it. The earthen walls of the pits were reinforced with wooden beams, the floor was paved with gray bricks.
The ceilings above the premises were made of logs, they were covered with mats, a layer of clay to protect against water, and several layers of rammed earth.
More than 8,000 terracotta figures have been found in three pits, and this is not the limit.
In 1980, precious bronze two-wheeled chariots driven by four horses were found in the tomb of Qin Shi Huang.
These statues are half life size and each weigh almost a full ton, and the ammunition is inlaid with gold and silver.
All details are made with precision to the smallest detail.
There are foot soldiers, archers, crossbowmen and charioteers. Together they form a replica of the Chinese imperial army of the 2nd century BC.
The warriors were buried along with the weapons, which became a valuable testament to the military technologies of that time. Finely crafted chrome-plated bronze swords are still sharp, but they are over 2,000 years old.
The wealth of the army of terracotta warriors is also emphasized by the fact that, judging by the traces of paint, each statue was once painted.
Pit layout
(1) Pit #1. The largest one is its area of 13,029 sq.m. About 6,000 warriors in battle order, horses and chariots.
(2) Pit #2- Military camp. Remains of chariots, figures of horses and soldiers.
(3) Pit #3- "Command Headquarters". It has only one chariot with four horses, statues of officers and soldiers of the "guard".
(4) Pit #4 empty - perhaps they simply did not have time to fill it.
However, the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang has not yet revealed all its secrets. The mystery of the terracotta army has not yet been fully disclosed, since, according to scientists, thousands more statues are hidden underground, and the emperor’s tomb itself has not yet been excavated.
Opening the tomb itself is simply not safe - soil analysis revealed an increased content of mercury.
And Sima Qian wrote that by order of Qin Shi Huang, a map of the empire was depicted on the floor of the tomb, and the “rivers” and “seas” were filled with mercury on it.
After the death of Qin Shi Huang in 210 B.C. e. uprisings broke out all over the country. As a result, four years later, the dynasty, which, according to his plan, was supposed to rule for 10,000 years, was overthrown.
It turned out that, having died, this ruler literally took with him to the grave the greatness and prosperity of the empire he created ...
There are 3 capitals in the world known for their ancient values - Rome, Athens and Xi'an. There is a whole army in Xi'an whose purpose was to guard the tomb of the emperor. More than two thousand years have passed, and the immovable soldiers are still standing, silently fulfilling their destiny. Their name is .
All the figures are made so realistic that you doubt that they are made of clay: each has its own facial expression. At the same time, absolutely everyone is different - there is not a single soldier who would be similar to another.
The Terracotta Army is located in the Xi'an province near the city of Lintong. A stone army accompanies the burial of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. It was on his initiative that they began to build and. There is no doubt that the purpose of this army was to guard the emperor and fight for him in the Realm of Death. So far, 8,000 figures have been found in underground halls or pits. That's what it is . 
Foot soldiers, archers, crossbow shooters, cavalrymen, war chariots with horses are lined up in battle order. The height of the warriors is from 1.6 to 1.7 meters, and none is like the other. Everyone is in different poses - someone is standing like a pillar, someone is holding a sword, as if repelling an attack, and someone, kneeling, is pulling a bowstring. The statues themselves are hollow, except for the legs, otherwise they would not have been able to stand for so long.
Previously, the entire army was painted in bright colors, but over time, the paint, of course, came off. Not all figures of warriors depict the Chinese, there are also Mongols, Uighurs, Tibetans and so on. All details of clothing or hairstyle strictly correspond to the fashion of that time. Everyone has their own weapon, by the way, for many it is not stone, but the most worthless. True, most of the swords and bows were stolen in ancient times by marauders.
Terracotta Army: Interesting Facts
In 246 BC, after the death of King Zhuang Xiang-wang, his son Ying Zheng, known in history as Qin Shi Huangdi, ascended the throne of the Qin kingdom.
By the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Qin kingdom occupied a rather vast territory. By the time of accession to the throne, Ying Zheng was only thirteen years old, until he came of age, the first adviser to the king, Lu Bu-wei, actually ruled the state.
In 230 BC, Ying Zheng sent a huge army against the neighboring kingdom of Han. The Qin defeated the Han troops, captured the Han king An Wang and occupied the entire territory of the kingdom, turning it into a Qin district. This was the first kingdom conquered by the Qin. In subsequent years, their army captured the kingdoms of Zhao, Wei, Yan, Qi.
By 221 BC, the Qin kingdom had victoriously ended the long struggle for the unification of the country. In place of scattered kingdoms, a single empire with centralized power is being created. Since Ying Zheng became the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, he ordered himself to be called Shi Huangdi - "the first highest emperor." He was in fact an unlimited head of state and was distinguished by a special despotism.
The first emperor did not doubt for a minute that his dynasty would rule forever, and therefore tried to create attributes appropriate for eternity. Especially rapid development during the period of the empire was the construction business.
During his reign, beautiful palaces were built (the largest palace was the Efangong Palace, erected by Qin Shi Huang near the capital of the empire, on the south bank of the Wei-he River). In order to protect the outskirts of the empire from enemies, Qin Shi Huang decided to start building a grandiose structure - a defensive wall along the entire northern border of the empire, which is known to our contemporaries as.
In 210 BC, the almighty Qin Shi Huang passed away, his body was buried in a special mausoleum. A detailed description of the grandiose underground palace and the colossal mound above it belongs to the father of Chinese history, Sima Qian, the chief court historiographer of the emperor. 700 thousand slaves, soldiers and forced peasants participated in the construction of the mausoleum for 37 years.
The records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (now the preserved earthen hill, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high). Qin Shi Huang sincerely believed that he could rule his empire even from the underworld. For this, he believed, he would need an army - this is how the terracotta army appeared.
Even during his lifetime, the emperor wanted clay idols to go to another world with him after death, as he believed that the souls of imperial soldiers would move into them (in any case, this is what an old Chinese legend says).
The warrior statues were made from the casts of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's elite bodyguards. The manufacturing technology was as follows. The main material for statues is terracotta, that is, yellow or red fired unglazed clay. First, the body was molded. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. It is on it that the center of gravity falls. The top is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it had been fired in the kiln.
At the end, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it an individual expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of 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 not lower than 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were fashioned became as strong as granite.
The tomb of the emperor stands 100 meters west of the pits with the terracotta soldiers. Qin Shi Huang himself died in 210 BC, this date should be considered the approximate date of the construction of the terracotta army. The tomb itself also deserves attention. It is assumed that more than 70,000 people were buried with the emperor: courtiers, servants and concubines, who could serve their master in another world as well as during his lifetime.
Why "assumed"? The fact is that no one knows where to look for the entrance. It may very well be that those workers who built the tomb were then killed and buried there - so that the secret would never be revealed. And now the pyramid is under a large earthen rampart. By the way, a clay army would have been under the same rampart if scientists had not dug it up.
It is not entirely clear why Terracotta Army of China and the tomb turned out to be buried under a large layer of earth. Scientists doubt that they were deliberately buried. Most are still inclined to another version: most likely, this happened due to a big fire (traces of fire were found). Perhaps the robbers either could not get into the tomb, where, in their opinion, there should have been a lot of treasures. Angry, they started a big fire. It is possible that they nevertheless got inside the tomb, and they needed a fire to eliminate the traces of the crime. One way or another, the fire led to a collapse, burying thousands of clay troops in wet ground for more than two thousand years...
Terracotta Army: Discovery Story
Until 1974, the existence of the terracotta army was not even suspected. It was in this year that several peasants began to dig a well, but were forced to suspend their work - suddenly, right out of the ground, they began to dig statues of soldiers in human height, besides people, horses and whole chariots appeared.
The well, of course, was no longer dug; archeological excavations began here, and the most unusual in recent times. Thousands of soldiers and animals were taken into the world.
In total, 3 holes were dug, slightly distant from each other. The first contained statues of foot soldiers, chariots and archers. This pit is the deepest - 5 meters, and its area is 229 by 61 meters. In the second pit, smaller in size, there were not 6,000 soldiers, as in the first, but only 100. The smallest recess hid 68 figures, obviously depicting the command headquarters. Nowadays, everyone 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 located there.
Video footage of the excavations is shown in the museum, and other figures are on display, including two miniature bronze chariots with horses and half-life-size charioteers. The latter were discovered in 1980 and are exactly the vehicles used by the emperor, his concubines and 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. In shape, it resembles an indoor pool or stadium.
The excavations are not yet fully completed, they are still ongoing. And they probably won't 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 defile it with their unholy touch. So, according to Professor Yuan Jungai: "Many more years will pass before we can finally continue excavations." The find 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, it is a real sculptural miracle.
Terracotta Army: how to get there
Usually, the attractions depart from Beijing or Shanghai, but you can fly directly to Xi'an. If you go through the first 2 cities, then from there you can get to Xi'an by car (11 hours drive), by train (6 hours) or by plane (2.5 hours on the way).
From Xi'an, the Terracotta Army can be reached by buses No. 306, 914, 915. They will take you to the place in an hour. Ticket price within 12 yuan.
The Terracotta Army is a tomb of 8,099 full-sized terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses, discovered in 1974 near the tomb of the 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 covers an area of more than 2 million square meters. meters. The records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (now the preserved earthen hill, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high).
Mount Lishan is a man-made necropolis of the first emperor of Qin. The 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 terracotta warriors themselves are made in full 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, it was concluded that the warriors and horses of the Terracotta Army were fashioned in other areas of China.
The researchers found that the horses were made right next to the necropolis, probably to facilitate their transportation (the weight of the horse sculpture is about 200 kilograms), the statues of warriors are lighter, their weight is about 135 kilograms, and the place of their manufacture is still unknown.
For a long time, Chinese landowners from the vicinity of Xi'an found clay shards of a very strange shape. In 1974, a simple Chinese peasant Yan Jivan decided to dig a well. He never got to the water, but he discovered something more. At a depth of 5 meters, he came across a crypt with life-sized terracotta figures of warriors in full combat gear.
Scientists began excavations and found a whole army. Several thousand clay figures have lain in the ground for over 2 thousand years. That is 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 by one. 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 was unified. Qin Shi Huang declared himself emperor and immediately set about state reforms and strengthening the vertical of power. The new overlord set to work with the scope and sophistication inherent in 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 - military and civil. 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 wagons 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 has been declared irrelevant. In 213 BC the ancient chronicles and books of all 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 appropriate to eternity. First of all, this. Then, surrounded by the city of the dead, the tomb of the monarch, which archaeologists still do not dare to excavate. And finally, the Terracotta Army as part of this grandiose complex.
According to ancient Chinese tradition, Qin Shi Huang planned to bury 4,000 of his own warriors with him. However, in order to avoid a possible rebellion, the emperor's advisers managed to convince the monarch to get by with clay statues, the retinue of which was doubled - up to 8 thousand figures.
The figures of warriors are real works of art, as they were made individually, manually and using various techniques. First, the body was molded. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. It is on it that the center of gravity falls. The top is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it had been fired in the kiln. At the end, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it an individual expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of 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 not lower than 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were fashioned 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, 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 presented warriors 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 were discovered 20 meters from the tomb of the emperor, each of which consists of more than 300 parts. The chariots are harnessed by four horses, the harness of which also contains silver elements.
Shortly after the death of the emperor, his tomb was plundered, and the fire caused by the robbers led to the collapse of the ceiling, burying the clay army of many thousands in wet ground for more than two thousand years. Although the plundered tomb could actually be just one of the “dummy” created to divert eyes, the real tomb still needs to be looked for.
According to scientists, the Terracotta Army was made from nature: after death, the soul of a warrior had to move into a clay body.
The terracotta army is a clear illustration of the former greatness of the imperial army: 210 archers are in front, behind them are warriors with halberds and spears, as well as 35 horse-drawn war chariots.
All of them are facing east, where the kingdoms that were defeated by the emperor were located. Perhaps the only unreliability of the statues is associated with their unreasonably high growth (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 kingdom of Qin; At the same time, work began on the creation of the Terracotta Army.
The 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 Xian, the modern administrative center of Shaanxi Province, one of the central provinces of China.
The terracotta army, buried with its ruler, was supposed to provide him with the opportunity to satisfy his imperious habits in the other world, just as he did in life. And although instead of living warriors, contrary to the usual tradition, their clay copies 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 along with their families, as well as about three thousand concubines were buried with Qin. And these people, unlike the soldiers, were quite real.
Today, historical excavations are safely sheltered from vandals and bad weather by three large pavilions. A whole city arose on the site of a historical find. The excavations have been going on for more than 25 years, and there is no end in sight. Yang Jivan stumbled upon Qin Shi Huang's first and, apparently, the main battle formation - about 6,000 pieces. In 1980, scientists unearthed a second column - about 2,000 statues. In 1994, an underground general staff was discovered - a meeting of top military leaders.
Eleven passages of the main excavation are separated by thick walls. From above, the ancient masters put solid tree trunks, 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 realm of the living. Alas, the calculation was not justified. Within a few years, such a mighty army suffered a crushing defeat. After the death of Qin Shi Huang Ding, his son, the weak and weak-willed Er Shi Huang Ding, 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 fist. It was the terracotta army that suffered the first defeat. The indignant crowds plundered and burned the immobile army. It should be noted that this was not just an act of senseless vandalism, the destruction had a purely practical meaning. The fact is that the rebels had nowhere to take weapons: Qin Shi Huang melted down or destroyed everything that was superfluous in order to avoid such incidents. And here, under the ground, 8,000 excellent sets of real bows and arrows, spears, shields and swords were very recklessly buried. They became the main target of the rebels. It is very symbolic that the rebels seized weapons from the funeral army of the great Qin. Government troops were defeated. The mediocre son of a great ruler was killed by his own courtiers.
For many centuries, robbers have tried to find treasures in the imperial tombs. Some of these attempts cost their lives. Clay soldiers guarded the spirit of their master. Among the excavated statues, more than one human skeleton was found. Today, even the clay from which the walls are made has become golden. One clay brick from the Qin Shi Huang era is worth tens of thousands of dollars. The owner of just one brick can exchange it, say, for a decent mansion in the vicinity of Beijing. However, all this is trifles. Ancient scrolls contain information that countless treasures were buried along with the divine Qin, which have not yet been found, including the golden throne of the first emperor. Qin Shi Huang knew how to make riddles. According to one version, in fact, he was buried in a completely different place, and this is just a decoration. Well, if this is true, then the extent of the true burial can only be guessed at.
When excavating the statues, scientists encountered a very sad phenomenon: in the air, the outer layer of the sculptures quickly degraded. According to Heins Lanhols, an archaeologist at the University of Munich, “after being removed from the ground, the statues immediately begin to dry out, and in just five minutes their coloring begins to peel off and peel off.” This happens when the relative humidity of the environment already drops to 84%. To explain the reason for the observed phenomenon, scientists conducted a chemical analysis of the statues.
It turned out that the reason for the instability of the paint is due to the fact that the organic composition used before painting underwent irreversible chemical changes during a long stay in moist soil. Therefore, now, when it dries up, it begins to flake off from the underlying base along with the pigment applied on top. To avoid skin degradation, Lanhols and his colleagues proposed the following technology. The 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 the monomer of some plastics produced today. Its molecules are small and penetrate into the smallest pores filled with moisture.
After this treatment, the statues are sent to the nearby city of Linton, where the particle accelerator is located. With the help of the latter, the warriors are irradiated with high-energy electrons, which causes the polymerization of molecules and the formation of a "glue" that firmly binds the statue's covers to the underlying terracotta.
The advantages of this method are that the molecules are water soluble and small enough to penetrate even the smallest of crevices, and that the resulting polymer does not alter the appearance of the statues, as do many other compounds that, when cured, cause some sheen to the surface. Scientists have already processed the fragments of several statues in the described manner and are very pleased with the result. Excavations are ongoing and it is still not completely known how many more clay warriors rest around the tomb of the ancient emperor.
Recently, according to the China Daily newspaper, the terracotta army has replenished with 114 more terracotta warriors. Archaeologists discovered them during excavations near the ancient Chinese capital - Xi'an.
The head of the archaeological expedition, Xu Weidong, told reporters that the main feature of the new statues is the well-preserved bright coloring. Unfortunately, most of the found terracotta figures were broken. And now experts are literally gluing together the found parts. According to Xu Weidong, it takes up to 10 days on average to "repair" one warrior.
According to the China Daily newspaper, photographs of the finds will be released to the public later in May. According to the description, the height of the figures of warriors 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 hall of the tomb 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 has become one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The researchers who carried out the excavations were the recipients of the 2010 Prince of Asturias Prize for Social Sciences.
Nowadays, everyone 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 located there. Video footage of the excavations is shown in the museum, and other figures are on display, including two miniature bronze chariots with horses and half-life-size charioteers. The latter were discovered in 1980 and are exactly the vehicles used by the emperor, his concubines and 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. In shape, it resembles an indoor pool or stadium.
The excavations are not yet fully completed, they are still ongoing. And they probably won't 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 defile it with their unholy touch. So, according to Professor Yuan Jungai: "Many more years will pass before we can finally continue excavations."
The find 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 marvel.
