Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Warriors

In March 1974, a small group of farmers dug wells in the fields near the city of Xi'an, in north-central China. Instead of water they found an extraordinary treasure:an underground chamber containing a terracotta army.
When Chinese archaeologists began excavating the site - which became known as Pit 1 - they found more than 6,000 figures, in formation and ready for battle. The soldiers were larger than life size and each had a different face, as if they had been modeled after a real person . Two years later, in 1976, the excitement of discovery was reproduced when two smaller wells were found nearby. Both contained more clay warriors with weapons, horses and chariots.

Armyhiddenundergroundriddle

The answer to the riddle lay in the gently sloping hill about 1,400 meters in diameter that was located approximately 1.6 kilometers west of Pit 1. It is actually a burial mound that hides the tomb of Cheng , the king of the state of Chi'an who ruled China as Shihuangdi ("First Emperor") between 221 and 210 BC . Specialists believe that the soldiers were buried in the pits to provide magical or symbolic protection for the emperor's tomb. It may be significant that they all face east, the direction from which the emperor's enemies came when he was alive.
The clay soldiers appear to be a replica of the royal army of Shihuangdi, thus shedding a fascinating light on how ancient Chinese armies were organized . In Pit 1, a rectangular chamber 210 by 60 meters, the infantry are arranged in battle formation in 11 long lines. Their bodies are made from local clay. It seems that the craftsmen used molds for the basic shapes and then carved and painted the concrete details by hand. The head and arms were made separately and were later attached to the bodies.

The chinese army

The soldiers are in formation four deep in each of the nine main columns, and two deep in each of the lateral columns. Although the pits were plundered for weapons by enemy soldiers in 206 B.C., a considerable number of arrowheads, razor-sharp swords, crossbow triggers and bronze daggers have been preserved, to show us the breadth of the weapons at the disposal of the imperial army . However, soldiers did not carry shields or, except for officers, helmets. This suggests that the army relied on aggression and speed. Indeed, historical accounts compare the speed of the Chinese army to the slowness of their enemies, who were hampered by heavy armor. This theory is supported by the clay warriors, most of whom wear light chain mail, made up of small overlapping pieces of metal. Crossbowmen and archers wore even lighter clothing made of cotton, which would give them the freedom of movement needed to quickly get into position and more effectively maneuver their weapons.
In addition to archers, the well demonstrated the presence in the army of spearmen (each with a menacing 2 m long pike) and six chariots each drawn by four clay horses . Two of the chariots carried drums and bells, which may have been rung by officers to give orders to the troops above the heat of battle.
In Pit 2, which is located just 20 meters north of Pit 1, another 1,410 soldiers were discovered, along with horses and chariots. Although smaller, Pit 3 is very important, because it contains the command unit of the army . This has been deduced from the presence of 68 larger than life-size armored warriors surrounding an empty chariot. Archaeologists believe that this select group of bodyguards protected the army commander on the chariot, whose statue has not survived.

The first emperor

It was with fierce, mobile, and disciplined men such as these that Cheng defeated his enemies and became China's first emperor. He had been born around the year 258 B.C. and was crowned King of Ch'in in 246 BC, at the age of 12 . At the time, the seven states of China were battling each other for supremacy, but as the clay soldiers suggest, Cheng used his massive infantry formations to crush the other states. Cheng managed to destroy his enemies and in 221 B.C. he had unified China.
Practical and energetic, Cheng -now called Shihuangdi- soon left his stamp on the country and his people . Ruling from the capital, Chanyang, he strengthened the role of the central government. He had a network of canals and roads built and created a 3,000-mile-long defensive barrier that became known as the Great Wall. .
However, while the emperor might be progressive in certain fields, in others he was ruthless and intolerant. He was also very superstitious and dreaded the thought of dying. His fear of his death encouraged him to begin building his tomb as soon as he became king of Ch'in.
Shihuangdi eventually died of illness in 210 B.C. and, just four years later, the empire he had hoped would last forever was replaced by the Han dynasty. . The first emperor was properly buried in a tomb along with some of his wives and those unfortunate artisans who knew his secrets. More than 22 centuries later, his tomb remains untouched under the watchful eye of his terracotta warriors, while his secrets still await someone to bring them to light.