Terracotta Army

View of the largest excavation pit of the Terracotta Army.

The Terracotta Army (simplified Chinese: 兵马俑; traditional Chinese: 兵馬俑; pinyin: bīng mǎ yǒng; lit. 'military servants') or Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses is a collection of 8,099 life-size terra cotta figures of warriors and horses located in the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Chinese: 秦始皇陵; pinyin: qín shǐ huáng líng). The figures were discovered in 1974 near Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

Introduction

View of the museum of Terracotta Army from outside (2002).

The terracotta figures were buried with the first Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huang) in 210-209 BC. Consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Army".

The Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974 by local farmers drilling a water well to the east of Mount Li. Mount Li is the name of the man-made necropolis and tomb of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynastie; Qin Shi Huang. Construction of this mausoleum began in 246 BC and is believed to have taken 700,000 workers and craftsmen 36 years to complete. Qin Shi Huang was interred inside the tomb complex upon his death in 210 BC. According to the Grand Historian Sima Qian, the First Emperor was buried alongside great amounts of treasure and objects of craftsmanship, as well as a scale replica of the universe complete with gemmed ceilings representing the cosmos, and flowing mercury. representing the great earthly bodies of water. Recent scientific work at the site has shown high levels of mercury in the soil of Mount Li, tentatively indicating an accurate description of the site’s contents by Sima Qian.

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A terracotta figure

The tomb of Qin Shi Huang is near an earthen pyramid 76 meters tall and nearly 350 meters square. The tomb presently remains unopened. There are plans to seal-off the area around the tomb with a special tent-type structure to prevent corrosion from exposure to outside air. However, there is at present only one company in the world that makes these tents, and their largest model will not cover the site as needed.

A terracotta soldier and his horse

Qin Shi Huang’s necropolis complex was constructed to serve as an imperial compound or palace. It is comprised of several offices, halls and other structures and is surrounded by a wall with gateway entrances. The remains of the craftsmen working in the tomb may also be found within its confines, as it is believed they were sealed inside alive to keep them from divulging any secrets about its riches or entrance. It was only fitting, therefore, to have this compound protected by the massive terra cotta army interred nearby.

Further information on the tomb is available at the People's Daily article. [1]

Archaeology of the Terracotta Army

Archaeological excavations of the Terracotta Army are still ongoing over thirty years after its discovery. This is largely due to the fragile nature of the material and its difficult preservation. Terracotta is literally “baked earth” which is kiln fired at relatively low temperatures. After firing each figure in the Terracotta Army was coated with a lacquer finish to improve durability. Various colors were also applied in order to create a more realistic appearance of the figures and their clothing and equipment. Some excavated materials still retain traces of this coloring; however their exposure to air quickly causes the finish to chip or flake off.

A group of terracotta soldiers

8,099 figures have thus far been unearthed at the site. These figures include infantry, archers, and officers and are manufactured in a crouching or standing pose. Each figure was given a real weapon such as bronze spears, halberds or swords, or wooden crossbows with bronze fittings. It is believed these weapons date to as early as 228 BC and may have been used in actual warfare. Along with the soldiers and officers, chariots made with great detail and precision were also included as part of Qin Shi Huang’s army.

The terracotta figures were found in three separate pits, with an empty fourth pit also discovered. It is believed that the largest pit, holding over 6,000 figures of infantrymen, chariots and horses, was representative of the First Emperor’s main army. This feature faces east and covers an area of 172,000 square feet. The second pit contains about 1,400 figures of cavalry and infantry along with chariots. This segment is thought to represent a military guard since it is much smaller than the first, measuring 64,500 square feet. The third pit contains the command unit, comprised of high ranking officers, lesser officers, and a war chariot drawn by four horses. It is the smallest of the four and contains 68 figures within a 5,000 square foot area.

Terracotta horses

Construction

Terracotta cavalryman

The terra cotta figures were manufactured both in workshops by government laborers and also by local craftsmen. It is believed they were made in much the same way that terra cotta drainage pipes were manufactured at the time. This would make it a factory line style of production, with specific parts manufactured and assembled after being fired as opposed to crafting one solid piece of terra cotta and subsequently firing it. After completion, the terra cotta figures were placed in the pits outlined above in precise military formation according to rank and duty.

The terra cotta figures are life-like and life-sized. They vary in height, uniform and hairstyle in accordance to rank. The colored laquer finish, molded faces, and real weapons and armor used in manufacturing these figures creates a realistic appearance and stands as a testament to the amount of labor and skill involved in their construction. It is also proof of the incredible amount of power the First Emperor possessed to order such a monumental undertaking as the manufacturing of the Terracotta Army.

Destruction

Terracotta figures in various stages of re-assembly after being unearthed.

Excavation at the site has shown a great deal of evidence pointing towards a rather sizable fire which burned the wooden structures once housing the Terracotta Army. Such a fire is described by Sima Qian as part of the consequences of the raiding General Xiang Yu less than five years after the death of the First Emperor. It is said that the effects of General Xiang’s army included looting of the tomb and structures holding the Terracotta Army, as well as setting fire to the necropolis and starting a blaze that lasted for three months. Despite this fire, however, much of the remains of the Terracotta Army still survive in various stages of preservation, surrounded by remnants of the burnt wooden structures.

Today nearly two million people visit the site annually, and almost one-fifth are foreigners. The Terracotta Army now serves as both a phenomenal archaeological discovery as well as an icon of China’s distant past recognizable the world over. The power and military achievement of the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang is evident in the massive and monumental achievements present throughout his tomb complex, most notably the 8,000+ terra cotta figures eternally serving to protect their leader.

Terracotta Army Outside China

Forbidden Gardens, a privately-funded outdoor museum in Katy, Texas has 6,000 1/3 scale replica terra-cotta soldiers displayed in formation as they were buried in the 3rd century BC. Several full-size replicas are included for scale, and replicas of weapons discovered with the army are shown in a separate Weapons Room. The museum's sponsor is a Chinese businessman whose goal is to share his country's history.

Trivia

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The Terracotta Army under construction in Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom.

Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom, a computer game simulating the economy and trade of medieval China, includes a sequence on the Qin empire where the Terracotta Army is constructed by the player as part of the scenario goal. Laborers dig out a massive pit, after which carpenters assemble the wooden pillars. Ceramists use clay to make the Army, after which more carpenters hammer a wooden covering over the pit. Finally, this roof-like covering is covered over by dirt.

The computer game Rise of Nations includes the Terracotta Army as a wonder that the player can build.

References

• Debainne-Francfort, Corrine. "The Search for Ancient China," (Harry N. Abrams Inc. Pub. 1999): 91-99.
• Dillon, Michael(ed). "China: A Cultural and Historical Dictionary," (Curzon Press, 1998): 196.
• Ledderose, Lothar. "A Magic Army for the Emperor." from "Ten Thousand Things : Module and Mass Production in Chinese Art" ed. Lothar Ledderose, (Princeton UP, 2000): 51-73.
• Perkins, Dorothy. "Encyclopedia of China: The Essential Reference to China, Its History and Culture," (Roundtable Press, 1999): 517-518.

External links

• Official site