The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army, considered to be one the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. This army, which remained unearthed for thousands of years, is part of world’s largest mausoleum. Qin Shi Huang lies to rest here surrounded by an armory of deadly traps intended to subdue any thieves. One of the most infamous emperors of Chinese antiquity was the very first: Qin Shi Huang. Also known as Ying Zheng, he ruled the Chinese state of Qin from 247-210 BC. When he came to power, various Chinese kingdoms were engaged in a struggle against each other for superiority; by the time he died in 210 BC he had managed to unify these warring states, becoming the First Emperor of China and ushering in the Qin Dynasty. Under the rule of Qin Shi Huang,

Each wing of the army is different in their expressions, clothing, and hairstyles. This includes the infantry, archers, generals, and the cavalry. Currently, there are four pits in total. Only 3 of which that have been unearthed, contained the unique statues of the Terracotta Army. However, this is not all that exists in the heart of the site. The Terracotta Army is only part of Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum. In total, the tomb complex covers 56 square kilometers. Even after the massive army’s excavation, that only hosts 10% of the mausoleum. Leaving 90% still untouched. Archaeologists are still in the process of excavation and restoration. Many more army members are about to be unearthed. Going by blueprints of the tomb (which have not been shared with the public) indicate that trying to excavate deeper into the heart of the tomb could lead to a very dangerous situation. Archaeologists have stated that not only is the heart of the tomb tightly secured by a serious of deadly traps set to deter looters and tomb robbers, it is also surrounded by a lagoon of

Due to these life-threatening issues archaeologists have concluded that it is far too dangerous to attempt excavation of the inlaid tomb. Even though it’s too dangerous, scientists are still seeking to find a safe way to excavate in the future. The architect of the complex can’t be traced back to one specific person, conclusively, archaeologists believe that its fascinating creation was responsible to many people of the Qin Dynasty. Qin’s burial complex is an extraordinary discovery, but many questions remain unanswered. Why was the First Emperor so obsessed with immortality and defense in death? What do you suppose lies in his tomb and why do you think the Chinese have not opened it yet? Although we have learned from archaeologists that it is far too dangerous to excavate due to the inlaid death trap which surrounds the tomb. Many people still believe there is a bigger reason for why the tomb has yet to be unearthed. Along with one final question; what effect did the creation of the First Emperor’s terracotta army have on burial customs after his dynasty? Which many archaeologists believe that dynasties following the creation of the great mausoleum tried to copy the grand scheme but were never