The Terracotta Army is the immortal retinue of the emperor. Terracotta Army: description, history, excursions, exact address Terracotta Army sculpture

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 popular wisdom. But the first Chinese emperor did not think so; he intended to take everything he could to the next world. Even an army. The mystery of the Terracotta Army still excites the minds of scientists today.

In March 1974, in Shaanxi province, one and a half kilometers from the majestic mound of the ancient Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, local peasants were digging a well. They looked for water and found a life-size clay head and torso.

Archaeologists later unearthed and reassembled hundreds of statues of terracotta warriors and horses.

The clay army, over 2,200 years old, became 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 3rd century BC. e. the first unifier of China (the name he adopted as a result of his conquests, Qin Shi Huang, 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 potion that would give eternal life, and could not stand talking about death. However, the ruler also made sure that he would not need anything if he did have to go to the afterlife.

Qin Shi Huang took “models” of his empire and palace, statues of officials, artists, and servants with him to his grave. 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, one should bury, as well as settle, where the qi energy is retained, 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 relaxation. Such palaces were often built in ancient Chinese burial complexes.

Remains of caretakers' houses. Officials lived here, whose duty was to maintain order in the burial complex.

Chariots. In a square pit, two bronze chariots with four horses were found - an open combat one (in the battle these were in the vanguard of the Qin army) and one equipped with a closed cabin (probably for inspection trips around the country). Chariots and horses are half life 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 is the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and an underground palace. What is in them remains a mystery: the authorities do not give permission for large-scale excavations for fear of damaging the treasures.

Builders' Cemetery. More than a hundred graves, from one to 14 bodies in each. Ancient Chinese historians reported that more than 700 thousand people were sent to construction. Most of the people who worked here were state slaves who fell into bondage for debts or misdeeds, or prisoners of war. When they were buried, pieces of tiles were placed on top of the remains with information about the deceased: name, place of residence, rank and crime committed.

"Palace Menagerie". Statues of servants, bowls and collars, skeletons of wild animals and birds were found here. This is probably an imitation of a menagerie where rare animals were kept for hunting.

Pit of officials. Terracotta figures of officials 1.8–1.9 m high and charioteers, remains of a wooden chariot and horse bones were discovered here.

"Stable"- pits in which 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: senior dignitaries and half-brothers and sisters.

Pits with acrobats. They contained 11 terracotta figures of acrobats and equipment for performances: tripods, spears, bronze vessels.

Design solution

Qin Shi Huang wanted something strange from his subjects: clay figurines had been placed in graves before him, but never before in Ancient China had they made realistic, life-size statues of people. We had to develop a technology for a new “mass production”

Each warrior has individual facial features, and the shape of the ears also varies.

Initially, the figures were brightly painted, the colors corresponded to ranks and divisions

Pits with a terracotta army

They are located on the approaches to the mound: clay warriors seem to be deployed to protect it. The earthen walls of the pits were reinforced with wooden beams, and the floor was paved with gray bricks.

The ceilings above the rooms were made of logs; mats, a layer of clay to protect against water, and several layers of compacted earth were placed on them.

More than 8,000 terracotta figures were 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 ton, and the ammunition is inlaid with gold and silver.

All details are made with precision down 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 with their weapons, which became valuable evidence of the military technology of that time. The skillfully crafted chrome-plated bronze swords are still sharp, even though they are more than 2 thousand years old.

The wealth of the army of terracotta warriors is further emphasized by the fact that, judging by the traces of paint, each statue was once painted.

Pit layout

(1) Pit No. 1. The largest is its area of ​​13,029 square meters. About 6,000 warriors in battle formation, horses and chariots.

(2) Pit No. 2- “Military camp”. Remains of chariots, figures of horses and soldiers.

(3) Pit No. 3- “Command Headquarters.” There is only one chariot with four horses, statues of officers and soldiers of the “guard”.

(4) Pit No. 4 empty - perhaps they simply didn’t 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 revealed, since according to scientists, thousands more statues are hidden underground, and the emperor’s grave itself has not yet been excavated.

It is simply unsafe to open the tomb itself - soil analysis revealed high levels 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” on it were filled with mercury.

After the death of Qin Shi Huang in 210 BC. e. Uprisings began throughout the country. As a result, four years later the dynasty, which, according to his plan, was to rule for 10,000 years, was overthrown.

It turned out that when he died, this ruler literally took with him to the grave the greatness and prosperity of the empire he created...

Terracotta Army (China) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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In March 1974, Chinese peasants digging a well accidentally discovered the now legendary Terracotta Army - from 7 to 9 thousand clay warriors weighing 135 kilograms each, made of baked clay and painted. The creation of such a unique army is associated with the Chinese belief in the afterlife and the tradition that existed even before our era of burying his entire palace and subjects along with the ruler of the country.

According to various estimates, the Terracotta Army “consists” of 7 to 9 thousand clay warriors.

The army of terracotta warriors was buried with Qin Shi Huang, its ruler and first emperor of China from 210-209 BC. e., and should probably testify to the progressiveness and humanism of the ruler, since his predecessors preferred to bury a living army with them to settle down in the other world.

However, it should be mentioned that in addition to the terracotta army, up to 70 thousand workers were buried with the emperor along with their families and about three thousand concubines of the emperor while alive.

Today, the entire clay army is kept in crypts 1.5 kilometers from the burial place of their ruler.

It is believed that the facial features of each of the warriors were copied from real living people.

This entire army is only part of the grandiose project of the majestic tomb of the Chinese emperor, on the construction of which about 700 thousand people worked. Here, on the ground, an entire miniature China with its rivers, mountains and palaces was built. Thus, the emperor seemed to continue to rule his country even after death.

Terracotta Army Museum

Whatever hotel you stay at, you will probably be offered an excursion program to visit the Terracotta Army Museum and the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

The museum itself, which also serves as a springboard for archaeological excavations, consists of 4 huge pits in which the statues are located. The warriors of the Terracotta Army differ even in rank - among them there are generals, officers and ordinary soldiers, in the presence of weapons and even in nationality. Once you look closely at these faces, it becomes clear that among the warriors there are representatives of a variety of nations.

In the museum shop for 2,500 USD you can buy a full-size copy of any warrior you like; a small figurine, of course, costs much less.

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the panoramic cinema located right in the museum with a 360-degree viewing angle, where they show a 20-minute film about the creation of the army.

Here you will meet the same peasant who unearthed the first warrior. Today he happily signs autographs and even allows people to take pictures with him for a small fee. However, experienced travelers claim that the “discoverer” of the Terracotta Army changes periodically. Such is the mysterious East.

Prices on the page are for April 2019.

The Terracotta Army, built over 2,000 years ago, is called the eighth wonder of the world. A huge army of almost 8,000 life-size warriors is relatively well preserved thanks to terracotta (fired clay). It serves as a magnificent example of the artistic skill of ancient sculptors.

What does the Terracotta Army represent?

Not only infantry, but also cavalry are represented here.

But also chariots.

Excavation area

The Terracotta Army is not the whole discovery. 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. The warriors, created 2,200 years ago, are surrounded by mysterious burial mounds. The excavation of this gigantic underground complex has changed the understanding 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 we have a complete understanding of how the warriors dressed and what weapons they used. There was no knowledge because almost all writing of that time was destroyed. The oldest surviving description of the Qin Empire dates back almost 100 years after the making of the Terracotta Army. It tells the story of an oppressive 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 they initially mistook for the edge of a pot.

And then they found bronze objects.
Then they began to come across fragments of some clay products.

Then they came across a statue - the upper part of the armor and the arm were revealed to them. 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 legs, a body without a head, and even figures of horses. After so much time, they were simply crushed by the ground. All this once rested in three gigantic rooms.

From find to museum

A long restoration process followed, accompanied by numerous discoveries.

After this, the warriors were installed in the main hall. Today there are over 1100 sculptures. But this is only a part of the 6,000 soldiers who were buried here. Over 1000 more soldiers stood in the second and third halls.

The museum director claims that new discoveries are constantly being made. Excavations are being carried out at five sites. In 2009, new excavations began in the main hall. Hundreds of terracotta actors and acrobats have been discovered.

In addition to the broken statues, swords, spearheads and arrowheads were discovered.

What do we know about the creation of the Terracotta Army?

All this was done in 37 years, exactly the same period as Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor and founder of the Qin dynasty, ruled. He became ruler in 246 BC. e. Most likely, it was then that work on this mausoleum began. And this is surprising - after all, for 200 years, the kingdom of Qin waged continuous wars with six neighboring states.

The first emperor defeated them and became the ruler of a state where millions of inhabitants lived. This power was comparable in size to the Roman Empire. He introduced a unified judicial system and currency throughout China, connected cities with a network of roads, and completed the construction of the first one (not to be confused with the wall, built less than 500 years ago). The state that we call China today owes its existence to the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

The Chinese naturally have a hard time coming 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 mass extermination 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 knitted into a single whole.

The construction of a tomb of unprecedented size was to be the emperor's greatest achievement. Research shows 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 ​​over 50 square meters. km.

In the very center of this territory, the emperor ordered a tomb to be erected 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.

Beneath it, in the center of a huge tomb, stood a bronze coffin containing the body of the emperor, who supposedly died from the mercury he took to achieve 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 into the afterlife. Death is just rebirth, says the famous proverb. All these people, animals and objects were supposed to serve the emperor after death.

The Emperor rests in the very center of a huge 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 a simple burial place - this is the pleasure palace of the emperor. His spirit could even travel on two chariots. Each was drawn by four bronze horses, richly decorated with harnesses. To protect himself, 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 safety of the emperor's spirit was to be ensured by the terracotta warriors buried with their master.

How was the Terracotta Army created?

Viewing the damaged statues sheds some light on their creation. Each of them was sculpted by hand by craftsmen. From their debris and fragments one can see how the torso sculptors applied the clay layer by layer.

In this photo you can see the marks - the master straightened his fingers and began to level the clay. On average, each warrior weighs about 200 kg.

The arms, hands and legs were cast. For the legs, molds intended for the production of pipes were used. This resulted in many different legs and arms, which were combined to achieve variety. The empty mold was filled with clay, covered and left to dry before firing.

A thorough examination convinced scientists that all the faces of the statues were different. Some warriors have light skin, others darker.

Facial hair varies.

They also differ in the shape of their eyes.

Hairstyles are also infinitely different.

There is no doubt that all this is strictly individual. But aren't there repetitions? The shape of the human ear is as unique and unique as fingerprints.

Research has shown that the shapes of the ears of terracotta warriors are different, so warriors differ from each other in the same way as other people. Apparently, the emperor wanted his peace to be guarded by a real army. However, only the most skilled sculptors could give individuality to so many warriors.

This is how warriors were patiently and manually sculpted over 2000 years ago. It took approximately 3 days to make one warrior.

Over the years of careful restoration, museumization and study, scientists have come to the conclusion that at the time of its creation, the Terracotta Army did not look the same as it does today. Faded traces of dyes were found on the clay bodies, hands and heads. This indicates that the warriors were once brightly colored.

This is roughly what they looked like 2200 years ago. Shining rows of war chariots and painted statues in full armor.

Even today, terracotta warriors look terrifying, and once they were terrifying. How were they armed - with real weapons or fake ones (dummy)? The wooden elements have rotted. All that remained were the metal remains of the warriors' weapons.

How were they produced and used?

Scientists conducted an examination which showed that the weapon had been sharpened. Even now it looks quite sharp. This means that mass sharpening of weapons using machine methods was carried out during the Qin Dynasty.

Weapons of the Terracotta Army

The blade of the weapon of the terracotta warriors in an enlarged view.

Only one tool could have left such smooth marks - a whetstone, on which metal blades are sharpened. There are no nicks or large scratches on the blades - this means that these weapons, most likely, were never used, i.e., they were created specifically for the Terracotta Army.

Terracotta warriors stand in strict battle formation.

In the center are infantry armed with massive halberds. In ancient China, this weapon was practically indispensable in battle 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 longswords. But there was one type of weapon in the use of which the Chinese had no equal - bows. Written sources indicate that they invented the crossbow long before the creation of the Qin Empire. It became the perfect weapon of its era.

The original crossbows were not preserved; all that remained were bronze parts found on the floor. This is a working copy. They took place in the center of the infantry for their protection.

Arrowheads are of great importance - more than 40 thousand of them were discovered 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 upon 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 craftsmen.

Who created the Terracotta Army?

The terrible secret of the construction of the tomb was revealed by a discovery at the far western border of the underground complex. Many graves of workers who died from overwork were discovered here. Next to each skeleton lay a clay tablet with the name of the deceased.

Here is an example of a typical worker's sign. He borrowed money from the state and was unable to repay the debt on time, and then he came to work at a construction site, and as a result, he found his death.
The Qin Empire itself was created through forced labor.

Scientists were able to understand the conditions of labor organization and control over workers:

1. Different teams of workers worked on the production of weapons.

2. There was quality control, that is, a mark was placed on the product about the workers who made the product. If it turned out to be of poor quality, then the workers would face punishment.
Over 450 inscriptions on the warrior figures confirm that the workers were divided into brigades. The names of over 90 foremen have been preserved, each of whom supervised 10 foremen. They were recruited from 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 the high quality standards was punished instantly and mercilessly: those responsible were tortured and mutilated, and some were executed. This system was called “legism” and it was terrible. The historiographer Sima Qian described a society where fear reigned, and it was divided into small cells, where everyone watched everyone else, and responsibility was collective. Every 5-10 houses formed their own cell. All residents without exception were punished for failure to report. This system came from the army and was applied on a state scale, that is, 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, the Chinese allegedly faked 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. You can't just get on this list.

2. The discovery 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 faking anything.

3. Terracotta warriors are constantly being studied by various scientists and archaeologists from different 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.
There are two types of museum visitors. Some see beauty in details - they can approach one warrior and admire for a long time the expression on his face, as if alive, or his hairstyle. Others are amazed by the scale of the structure and its secrets. Therefore, if possible, we recommend visiting this place.

The Terracotta Army is a burial site of 8,099 full-size terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses, discovered in 1974 near the tomb of 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 occupies an area of ​​more than 2 million square meters. meters. Records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (the now preserved earthen mound, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high).

Mount Lishan is a man-made necropolis of the first Qin Emperor. 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 the terracotta warriors themselves are life-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 conducted, it was concluded that the warriors and horses of the Terracotta Army were sculpted in other areas of China.
The researchers found that horses were made directly next to the necropolis, probably to simplify their transportation (the weight of a horse sculpture is about 200 kilograms), the statues of warriors are lighter, their weight is approximately 135 kilograms, and the place of their production is still unknown.

For a long time, Chinese landowners from the vicinity of Xi'an found clay shards of very strange shapes. In 1974, a simple Chinese peasant, Yan Jiwan, decided to dig a well. He never made it to the water, but he discovered something more. At a depth of 5 meters, he came across a crypt with life-size terracotta figures of warriors in full combat gear sculpted.
Scientists began excavations and discovered an entire army. Several thousand clay figures lay in the ground for over 2 thousand years. This is exactly 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 after another. 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 became united. Qin Shi Huang declared himself emperor and immediately began government reforms and strengthening the vertical of power. The new ruler took up the matter with the scope and sophistication characteristic of 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 - a military and a civilian. 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 the carts 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 was declared irrelevant. In 213 BC. the ancient chronicles and books of all the 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 befitting eternity. First of all, this. Then, surrounded by the city of the dead, the tomb of the monarch, the excavation of which archaeologists still do not dare to begin. And finally, the Terracotta Army as part of this grandiose complex.
According to ancient Chinese tradition, Qin Shi Huang planned to bury 4 thousand of his own soldiers with him. However, in order to avoid a possible rebellion, the emperor's advisers managed to convince the monarch to make do with clay statues, the retinue of which was doubled - up to 8 thousand figures.

The warrior figures are true works of art, as they were made individually, by hand, and using various techniques. First the body was sculpted. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. This is where the center of gravity falls. The top part is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it was burned in the oven. Finally, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it a personalized expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of his 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 of at least 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were sculpted 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 and 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 warriors presented 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, each consisting of more than 300 parts, were discovered 20 meters from the emperor’s tomb. The chariots are drawn by four horses, the harness of which also contains silver elements.

Soon after the death of the emperor, his tomb was plundered, and a fire caused by robbers led to the collapse of the ceiling, burying thousands of clay troops in wet soil for more than two thousand years. Although the plundered tomb could in fact be just one of the “dummy” objects created as a distraction, and the real tomb still needs to be looked for.
According to scientists, the Terracotta Army was made from life: after death, the warrior’s soul was supposed to move into a clay body.
The Terracotta Army is a clear illustration of the former greatness of the imperial army: in front are 210 archers, behind them are warriors with halberds and spears, as well as 35 horse-drawn war chariots.

All of them face east, where the kingdoms destroyed by the emperor were located. Perhaps the only unreliability of the sculptures is associated with their unreasonably high height (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 Qin kingdom; At the same time, work began on creating the Terracotta Army.
An 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 the city of Xian, the modern administrative center of Shaanxi province, one of the central provinces of China.

The Terracotta Army, buried with its ruler, should probably have provided him with the opportunity to satisfy his imperious desires in the other world in the same way as he did during life. And although instead of living warriors, contrary to the usual tradition, clay copies of them 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 were buried with Qin, along with their families, as well as about three thousand concubines. And these people, unlike the soldiers, were quite real.
Today, historical excavations are reliably protected from vandals and bad weather by three large pavilions. A whole city arose on the site of the historical find. Excavations have been going on for more than 25 years, and there is no end in sight. Yang Jiwan came across the first and, apparently, main battle formation of Qin Shi Huang - about 6,000 figures. In 1980, scientists excavated a second column - about 2,000 statues. In 1994, an underground general staff was discovered - a meeting of senior military leaders.

The eleven passages of the main excavation are separated by thick walls. The ancient craftsmen placed solid tree trunks on top, 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 kingdom of the living. Alas, the calculation did not come true. Within a few years, such a powerful army suffered a crushing defeat. After the death of Qin Shihuangding, his son, the weak and weak-willed Er Shihuangding, 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 hand. It was the Terracotta Army that suffered the first defeat. Outraged crowds plundered and burned the motionless army. It should be noted that this was not just an act of senseless vandalism; the destruction had a purely practical significance. The fact is that the rebels had nowhere to take weapons: Qin Shi Huang melted down or destroyed everything unnecessary to avoid such incidents. And here, quite recklessly, 8,000 excellent sets of real bows and arrows, spears, shields and swords were buried underground. They became the main target of the rebels. It is very symbolic that the rebels seized weapons from the funerary army of the great Qin. Government troops were defeated. The mediocre son of the great ruler was killed by his own courtiers.

For centuries, robbers have tried to find treasures in the imperial tombs. For some, these attempts cost their lives. Clay soldiers guarded the spirit of their master. More than one human skeleton was found among the excavated statues. Today even the clay from which the walls are made has turned golden. One clay brick from the Qin Shi Huang era costs tens of thousands of dollars. The owner of just one brick can exchange it for, say, a decent mansion in the vicinity of Beijing. However, these are all minor things. The ancient scrolls contain information that countless treasures were buried with the divine Qin, which have not yet been found, including the golden throne of the first emperor. Qin Shihuangdi knew how to ask riddles. According to one version, he is actually buried in a completely different place, and this is just a decoration. Well, if this is really the case, then one can only guess about the scale of the true burial.

When excavating the statues, scientists encountered a very sad phenomenon: in the air, the outer layer of the sculptures quickly degraded. According to Heinz Lanhols, an archaeologist at the University of Munich, “after being removed from the ground, the statues immediately begin to dry out, and literally within five minutes their coloring begins to peel and peel.” This occurs when the relative humidity of the environment drops to 84%. To explain the cause of the observed phenomenon, scientists conducted a chemical analysis of the statues.

It turned out that the reason for the instability of the paint was due to the fact that the organic composition used before painting underwent irreversible chemical changes during a long stay in wet soil. Therefore, now, as it dries, it begins to peel off from the underlying base along with the pigment applied on top. To avoid degradation of integuments, Lanhols and his colleagues proposed the following technology. 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 a monomer of some types of plastic produced today. Its molecules are small in size and penetrate into the smallest pores filled with moisture.

After this treatment, the statues are sent to the nearby town of Linton, where the particle accelerator is located. With the help of the latter, warriors are irradiated with high-energy electrons, which causes polymerization of molecules and the formation of “glue” that firmly binds the covers of the statue to the underlying terracotta.
The advantages of this method are that the molecules are water-soluble and small enough to penetrate into the smallest crevices, and that the resulting polymer does not alter the appearance of the statues, as many other compounds do, which, when hardened, cause some shine to the surface. Scientists have already processed the fragments of several statues in the described manner and are very pleased with the result. Excavations continue and it is still completely unknown how many more clay warriors rest around the tomb of the ancient emperor.

Recently, the China Daily newspaper reports, the Terracotta Army was replenished with another 114 Terracotta Warriors. Archaeologists discovered them during excavations near the ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an.
The head of the archaeological expedition, Xu Weidong, told reporters that the main feature of the new statues is their well-preserved bright coloring. Unfortunately for experts, most of the terracotta figures found were broken. And now experts are literally gluing together the found parts. According to Xu Weidong, on average it takes up to 10 days to “repair” one warrior.

Photos of the findings will be released to the public later in May, the China Daily reported. According to the description, the height of the warrior figures 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 tomb hall had 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 became one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The researchers who carried out the excavations were winners of the 2010 Prince of Asturias Prize for Social Sciences.

Nowadays, anyone 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 there. The museum shows video footage of the excavations, and other figures are on display, including two miniature bronze chariots with half-life-size horses and drivers. The latter were discovered in 1980 and represent exactly the vehicles used by the emperor, his concubines and his staff of 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. It is shaped like an indoor swimming pool or stadium.

The excavations are not yet completely finished; they are still ongoing. And they will probably not 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 desecrate them with their unholy touch. So, according to Professor Yuan Jungai: “Many years will pass before we can finally continue the excavations.”
The discovery 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 miracle.

Qin Shi Huang, the ruler of the Qin kingdom, was the first in the world to form a structure of centralized power. To strengthen the integrity of the state, he undertook various major reforms. During his reign, construction of a national road network began. In addition, he banned Confucianism and announced the burning of all books not approved by the government.

Brief historical background

Qin Shi Huang was born in 259 BC. BC, in the first month of the Chinese calendar year. In this regard, he was given the name Zheng, which means “first”. The ruler's birthplace was Handan. There his father was a hostage and his mother a concubine. Qin Shi Huang initiated extensive construction activities. Palaces and temples were erected in all cities of the empire; for example, 270 palaces were built in the vicinity of Chang'an. The rooms in them were all decorated with canopies and curtains. The most beautiful concubines lived there everywhere. Apart from the people closest to the ruler, no one knew where he was at any given moment. Qin Shi Huang died in 210 BC. e. (at 48 years old). He was buried in one of the forty-meter mounds, but his remains have not been found to this day, since excavations in this area have been prohibited for some time.

China's Terracotta Army

Long before his death, the ruler began construction of a luxurious, huge funeral complex in Mount Lishan. The construction of the structure lasted for thirty-eight years. During this time it was revealed that this complex has the shape of a square. The length of the structure is 350 meters from south to north. The length from east to west is 345 m. The memorial has a height of 76 meters. The total area of ​​the burial complex is 56 square meters. km. Three powerful crypts were discovered on the territory of the memorial. The terracotta army, the military cavalry, recreating a real army, is buried in them. It was equipped according to all state rules of that time.

The Mystery of the Terracotta Army

The buried figures, which had been underground for more than two millennia, were discovered by chance in March 1974. At that time, peasants were digging a well and came across figures of horses and soldiers as tall as a man. And there were several thousand of them. This was the same terracotta army of the emperor, buried next to him. She had to fight for her ruler in the kingdom of death. Qin Shi Huang believed that he would rule his state even from the afterlife. But he, as he believed, absolutely needed soldiers. That's why the Terracotta Army was created. At first, the ruler was going to bury four thousand young soldiers with him. But the advisers were able to convince him not to do this. Living people were to be replaced by clay statues. It was assumed that the souls of all soldiers who died in battles would move into them. At least there is such a legend. But for greater reliability, it was decided to double the number of the ruler’s defenders, that is, there were 8 thousand of them.

What did the statues look like?

The army of terracotta warriors was like a real one. All the statues were made with amazing diligence and precision. There are no identical figures among them. The faces of the soldiers show the multinationality of the middle state. Thus, the Terracotta Army of China consisted not only of the direct inhabitants of the country. Among the soldiers were Mongols, Tibetans, Uighurs, and representatives of other nationalities. Every detail of the clothing was made in accordance with the period. The armor and shoes are reproduced according to the fashion of that time with amazing accuracy.

Galleries

First, a hall with an area of ​​210 x 60 meters appears before your eyes. It was founded at a depth of 4.9 m. There are about 6 thousand infantrymen here. The statues are located in 11 parallel corridors. In front of the foot soldiers are war chariots, which, unlike clay human and horse figures, chariots were originally made of wood. That is why there is practically nothing left of them. The infantrymen stationed around them are armed with six-meter bamboo spears, using which the soldiers blocked the enemies’ path to the horses. Signal drums and bells were once placed on two chariots, the bells of which were used to give orders and determine the direction of attack. In the northern and eastern corridors there are also soldiers guarding the flank approaches to the main units. They, like most infantrymen, do not have shields. The fact is that the terracotta army of Qin Shi Huang consisted only of fearless and strong soldiers who, without fear of death, wore neither shields nor armor. Officers, as a rule, had caps on their heads, and ordinary soldiers had false hair in the form of buns. In the 2nd hall there are about 1400 figures of horses and soldiers. The second gallery is located about twenty meters from the first. The soldiers of the 2nd hall are significantly different from those in the first. The third gallery contains only 68 figures. Presumably these are staff officers and orderlies.

How were the figures made?

According to the technology, the torso was molded first. From below, the statue was monolithic and massive, respectively. It is this lower part that accounts for the entire center of gravity. The top of the figure's body is hollow. After the body was burned, the arms and head were attached to it. Finally, the sculptor sculpted the face, covering the head with a thin additional layer of clay. Each soldier had his own individual hairstyle. The hairstyle of each soldier was also very accurately conveyed. At that time, hair was a subject of increased attention. The figures were fired for several days at a constantly maintained temperature of at least a thousand degrees. Thanks to such prolonged firing, the clay hardened and became like granite. After this, the best artists applied paint to the statues. It should be said that the terracotta army was painted in natural colors. But over two millennia, the colors nevertheless became faded, and in some places disappeared completely.

Other finds

Bronze chariots with horses harnessed to them, discovered in the funerary complex, were the most popular means of transport used by the ruler, his staff of courtiers and concubines. Among the items found, weapons, linen and silk items, etc. should also be noted. The swords are well preserved. Their blades remain as sharp as in those ancient times, and it is simply impossible to touch them with your bare hand - it immediately leaves a cut. The eleven corridors of the main hall are separated by thick walls. Ancient craftsmen laid out solid tree trunks on top, which they covered with mats. A thirty-centimeter layer of cement was poured on top of this. Three meters of earth were laid on it. All this was supposed to provide reliable protection for the deceased ruler in the kingdom of the living. But, unfortunately, the calculation failed.

Peasant revolt

A few years after the death of their ruler, the Chinese Terracotta Army was defeated. His son Er ascended the throne. The inept actions of the heir caused a flurry of popular discontent. A peasant revolt broke out - an uprising that the ruler's advisers so feared. There was no one to suppress the discontent of the people: Er Shi Huangdi was weak-willed and weak. The indignant rebels plundered and then burned the stationary army. It should be said that these actions were not so much an act of vandalism as a practical decision by the rioters. The fact is that before his death, the first ruler ordered the destruction of all existing weapons, except for those that the soldiers of the Terracotta Army were supposed to have. As a result, there were no weapons in the state, but 8 thousand excellent sets of new bows, arrows, swords, spears, and shields were buried underground. As a result, the rebels, seizing weapons from the army of the first emperor, defeated the government troops. The mediocre young heir to the throne was killed by his courtiers.

Conclusion

Over the course of many centuries, various attempts were made to find treasures in the burial complex, and a great many expeditions were undertaken. Moreover, both archaeological researchers and simple robbers took part in them. It should be said that many paid for these attempts with their lives. According to eyewitnesses, human skeletons are found every now and then among the excavations. Today many values ​​have changed. For example, the clay from which the walls are made can be comparable in value to gold. One brick from that ancient era costs several tens of thousands of dollars.