Terra Cotta

The Terra Cotta Warriors were discovered by accident in 1974 at Xian, China, when a local farmer digging a well broke into a pit containing 6,000 life-sized Terra Cotta figures.  Excavation in 1976 revealed two further pits, both filled with Terra Cotta Warriors, chariots and warhorses.

On he eastern side of the tomb, a number of small pits have been found containing the bones of horses and smaller sized terra-cotta figures of grooms.  To date nearly 8,000 terra-cotta figures have been rediscovered.

The Terra Cotta Army was built to guard the tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, who lived over 2,200 years ago.  He became famous for unifying the warring states into what is now China and for becoming the first Emperor.

Qin Shi Huang is also remembered for instigating the building of The Great Wall Of China and for his obsessive quest for the secret of immortality.  It is this obsession that most likely inspired the army of The Terra Cotta Warriors, built to silently guard his tomb for all eternity.

The Terra Cotta Warriors are not only life size and individually modeled in clay, but the detail of the figures is astounding.  From the rivets of the body armor to the tread on the soles of the shoes, every detail has been carefully constructed.

The hands and heads of the Terra Cotta Warriors were made separately, and each head is reputed to be unique with individual features and facial expressions.

Views of Xian

Getting to and from the warriors.

There is still much more to be uncovered, including the actual burial chamber of the emperor, but the Terra Cotta Warriors are already regarded as the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World.