The founder of the Qin dynasty, who completed the construction of the Great Wall of China, prepared for death ahead of time: he built a huge tomb for himself, and several "smaller" crypts for servants and soldiers. Together with the emperor, 70 thousand workers were buried, along with their families. But the emperor did not kill the soldiers. Instead, he ordered artisans to create an army of terracotta, each warrior of which would have a real person as a prototype.

Despite the fact that Chinese historians are very careful about their cultural heritage, the terracotta army was somehow forgotten. Its discovery turned out to be an accident - in the summer of 1974, in the Shaanxi province, while digging a well, at a depth of 5 meters, a Chinese peasant stumbled upon one of the clay warriors. The find immediately aroused unprecedented interest among archaeologists, because appearance the statue made it possible to attribute the date of its creation to the period of deep antiquity. By the beginning of autumn of the same year, archaeologists discovered about 6 thousand of these warriors. The analysis showed that the time of the creation of the statues coincides with the years of the life of Qin Shi Huang, whose tomb, Mount Lishan, was located near the place of "burial" terracotta warriors.

The work of Sima Qian, a hereditary historiographer of the Han dynasty, who described the ascent to the throne in 246 BC, also helped to correlate the clay army with the founder of the Qin dynasty. NS. 13-year-old Ying Zheng, known to us as Qin Shi Huang. According to the historiographer, the young ruler immediately began building his own tomb and ordered the creation of an army of clay warriors who would serve him after his death.

All statues are copies of real people, retaining their facial features, uniforms, ranks, etc. The only thing that the sculptors changed was the growth of the warriors, making them slightly higher than real prototypes. The height of the statues of ordinary soldiers is approximately 180 cm, and of officers - up to 2 m, which expresses their superiority in rank. Archers, spearmen, swordsmen and even cavalry - Qin Shi Huang assembled a full-fledged army that completely copied the real-life military formations. Commanders of all ranks, down to generals, also followed their emperor to the “other world” in the form of clay sculptures. There were also found "civilian" statues - musicians, acrobats and officials.

The vast majority of the statues were facing east. Some stand relaxed, others knelt down and, drawing their sword from their scabbard, fend off the attack. The difference in status can be determined by clothing. The officers are dressed in tunics with belts and suits that look like uniforms. Ordinary soldiers are dressed in short, narrowed down trousers, short robes, breast armor. Their shoes are common to the ancient Chinese: windings and shoes with rectangular toes. Ordinary people also distinguish characteristic hairstyles in the form of a tight bun of hair.

The main excavations were carried out in two stages: from 1978 to 1984 and from 1985 to 1986. And in 2009, the third stage of excavations started, which continues to this day. Recent excavations have yielded an additional 500 clay warriors, 100 horses and 18 bronze chariots. And how much remains to be discovered is a question that remains unanswered. But why was the emperor's tomb in such a deplorable state?

After the death of Qin Shi Huang, the throne was inherited by his son Er Shi Huang, who was weak-willed and weak. As a result of his failure as a leader, a popular uprising broke out. And the first target of the rebels was the terracotta army. The reason for this was that the cunning Ying Zheng melted all surplus weapons, so that simple people could not get it anywhere. And in the crypt, for the needs of the clay warriors, an arsenal was kept for 8,000 people: swords, shields, spears and bows. As a result, the tomb was plundered, the imperial troops were defeated, and Er was killed. But the emperor's treasures, which, according to legend, were buried with him, were never found. According to one version, the emperor was generally buried in another place, and Mount Lishan is just a decoration.

In 1987, UNESCO inscribed the Terracotta Army as a World Heritage Site in China. Today, everyone has the opportunity to see the terracotta warriors "live". A small town with a cafe has grown up around the excavation zone, souvenir shops and covered pavilions, where the terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is displayed.

/ Terracotta army - a find that shook the world

Our land is full of ancient mysteries and secrets. Every nation and every country has a history, the roots of which go far back in the past. Illustrative example- China. China is such an ancient country that its rich story begins many centuries BC. And every archaeological excavation there leads to finds that shake the imagination of mankind. One of these finds was the terracotta army.

Terracotta Army named one of the wonders of the world. She was honored to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And US President Ronald Reagan said about her: "The great miracle that belonged to mankind." No one has ever seen such beauty, such strength and power underground.

This historical heritage is located in the city of Xi'an, Shenxi province, located in the east of China.
Terracotta Army- This is the burial place of 8099 statues of warriors, made of clay. A special feature is that all these products are made in full human growth. Chinese soldiers with cavalry were buried in 210 - 209 BC with the emperor Qin Shi Huang.

How was the terracotta army found?

Over the centuries, the inhabitants of Xi'an have constantly found pieces of clay - shards. They were afraid to take them in their hands, as they believed that a curse could follow. The Chinese then did not even suspect that under their feet, just a few meters underground, there was a whole layer of historical heritage.
The mystery of the pottery shards was discovered in 1974 when Yan Ji Wang, a man who cultivated the land on his site near Lishan Mountain, decided to dig a well. Having dug only to a depth of 5 meters, the farmer came across something strange. After examining his find, he found that it was a warrior's head made of terracotta. Archaeologists and historians were shocked by the found item. This was followed by a long line of archaeological work.

Archaeological excavations began in 1978 and continue to this day. The work is proceeding very slowly. Firstly, in order not to damage the figures, and secondly, due to the lack of state funding. The third reason is the ancient belief that rivers of mercury should accompany the emperor to another world, and in order not to harm the inhabitants of nearby areas and the scientists themselves, everything has to be carefully and carefully checked. So we can safely say that there are many more secrets hidden under the ground at the foot of Mount Lishan.

The excavation of the clay army has been going on for 40 years. During this time, a whole city has grown on the site of the find. Many pavilions protect the army from rain, wind, which can immediately destroy the wobbly clay statues. Also, security guards and scientists are constantly on duty to protect the heritage from vandals.
Archaeological expeditions are divided into several stages. The first stage from 1978 to 1984, the next stage lasted from 1985 to 1986, and the third stage, which began in 2009, continues to this day.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang ruled from 246 to 210 BC, and was one of the most cruel and bloody rulers. Qin Shi Huang is the most significant person in the history of China, and not only because he is the founder of the great Qin dynasty. The great commander was able to unite the 7 kingdoms of China, which fought the most brutal war for many decades. Mass destruction and murder, high mortality, chaos and plundering ended when the brutal conqueror Qin Shi Huang came to power. The period of fighting kingdoms, which lasted for 250 years, is over. For the first time, the title "Emperor" was proclaimed, which was raised to the level of God. China has become a single state, and his power was unmatched.

An equally significant imprint in history left by the first emperor is the completion and strengthening of the Great Wall of China. The narcissistic emperor declared the entire previous history of China to be irrelevant, and destroyed all historical monuments, literature, and scholars. Thus, destroying the entire history up to the Qin dynasty.

This historical period is famous for the fact that people sacredly believed in the afterlife. They built tombs, mausoleums, crypts, pyramids and tombs, buried the whole family, servants and army with them alive, filled their tombs with gold, wealth and decorations. In general, they did everything to ensure a decent afterlife. One of the richest emperors, Qin Shi Huang, was no exception.
From the moment of accession to the throne, or rather from 246, when the emperor was 13 years old, he actively began the construction of his tomb. Initially, to match his ambitions, Qin Shi Huang planned to bury 4,000 soldiers alive with him. But due to the fact that over the past 250 years of the most brutal wars, the population of China has dropped dramatically, it would not be reasonable to bury so many young people thirsty for life with them. Moreover, there would be a danger of a big riot.
Then, for the first time in history, a Chinese ruler came up with the idea to replace living people with clay statues.

Tomb construction lasted 38 years, with the efforts of 700,000 workers. They worked on the construction of the mausoleum day and night. The construction of the tomb with tombs and all adjacent compartments in the perimeter takes 6 kilometers. The territory occupied by the famous terracotta army is 1.5 kilometers.
Together with the army, 70,000 workers were buried with all their families, as scientists think, so that no one would learn the secret of the clay army. Also, 48 concubines were buried alive with the great commander. But don't be upset about them. In those days, people were happy to be buried with their masters, and this was considered a great honor.
The Terracotta Army includes more than 8000 warriors, but this is far from the limit, since excavations are still ongoing, and their number is increasing every decade.

Each statue of a Chinese warrior is approximately 2 meters tall, which again speaks of the emperor's desire to exalt himself, and weighing about 150 kilograms. Horses weigh 200 - 300 kilograms.
Chariots were also found in the tomb, which amaze with their wealth and luxury. Each bronze chariot is made up of over 300 pieces and is decorated with gold and silver and is harnessed by four horses.

The clay warriors were deployed to the east, and they stand on the eastern side of the Qin mausoleum, and all because it was from the eastern side that the emperor indulged in the most cruel conquests.
The warriors are arranged in three rows, clearly one after the other. They stand as if they are ready to start a fight at any moment. The soldiers of the terracotta army are lined up in order of battle, first there are infantrymen, followed by horsemen, archers, officers, commanders. Statues of musicians, officials, acrobats were found next to them.
All warriors have different shapes, different faces, uniforms. The work was done so subtly and with jewelry that even after 2 thousand years, we can see that each statue has its own facial expression. There is not a single warrior who would be exactly like another. Among the terracotta soldiers, one can easily see the whole multinationality of China. The Terracotta Army includes the Chinese, Tibets, Uighurians, Mongols, and so on.
The soldiers are dressed exactly according to the laws of the time. Clothes, hair, mustache or beard, uniforms, armor are made with incredible precision. Even on the sole of the shoe, you can see the corresponding pattern. Every terracotta soldier was equipped with real weapons. It was believed that warriors were made from nature, and after death the soul of a warrior moved to a clay statue.

How exactly the warriors of the terracotta army were made is still a mystery. One thing is clear, all the work is done by hand. The craftsmen used completely different techniques... Some scientists believe that all parts of the body were performed separately, then they were combined, a face was cultivated from an additional layer of clay on the head, and all this creation was sent to the oven for several days. But where did the Chinese of the first second century BC get so many ovens? After the work done, the warrior was painted. But unfortunately, for 2 thousand years underground, the paint has worn off. And those sculptures on which the remains of paint were still found, as soon as they were on fresh air how the entire coating was peeled off.

The material for the soldiers was taken from Lishan Mountain. However, by the pollen on the statues, scientists of our time were able to determine that the statues were made in different areas China.
From above, the army was protected by whole tree trunks, zinc, cement and earth.
Unfortunately, the terracotta army was defeated very quickly. In the immediate aftermath of Qin Shi Huang's death, his successor's inept rule sparked a riot. The people of China needed weapons. Having broken open the crypt of the army, they burned some of the soldiers, and all the real weapons were replaced with bronze ones.
I wonder what kind of long period Under the ground, the bronze weapon did not become dull and did not lose its luster, but all due to the fact that it was covered with chrome. This technique was developed only in the XX century.
We can safely say that the terracotta army performed the functions of protecting its master with high quality. On the territory of the army, many dead vandals and robbers were found, how exactly they died there is not known.

The great emperor built a whole city of the dead around his crypt. The beauty of the burial complex is not inferior to the real imperial palace. Many burials of people, animals, luxurious decorations, untold riches, all this was transferred to the land together with the emperor. Unfortunately, these complexes have not survived to this day.
Scientists of our time suggest that this terracotta army, the plundered tomb is just a fake of the real tomb of the emperor. Qin Shi Huang Ti was very cunning. And according to legend, together with the great commander, they put such riches into the land that even our imagination cannot draw. There is a possibility that the real complex has not even been found yet.

Yes, the land is full of secrets. And maybe someday we will find a real mausoleum of the emperor, and the terracotta army will turn out to be artifacts to divert our eyes. Nevertheless, the terracotta army is the heritage of mankind, a rich heritage that our ancestors left us.
Historians believe that two hundred years will not be enough for the complete opening of the emperor's tomb in Xi'an.

The Terracotta Army is the legendary clay army of China. It consists of at least eight thousand full-size ceramic soldiers. The army was supposed to stand guard over the mausoleum of the first emperor. The discovery of the terracotta army is considered one of the major events world archeology.

Where is the terracotta army

The Terracotta Army was discovered in the northwest in 1974 and dated to its first dynasty. The discovery of the emperor's ceramic army shed light on the centuries-old funeral rites and the peculiarities of the Chinese processing of ceramics. Besides the fact that the sculptures are of archaeological and artistic value, they are one of the main attractions Chinese culture... The quality of the workmanship of the clay warriors, as well as the scale of the army as a whole, are simply amazing.

The Terracotta Army was created in the third century BC. In 246, Qin Shi Huang Ti, the first emperor of China, took the throne at the age of thirteen. The first emperor is credited with many achievements, such as: the construction of the Great Wall, the manufacture of the first coins, the creation of a code of laws and the unification of the Chinese provinces into a single state.

The emperor sought to immortalize his name for posterity and ordered the construction of a necropolis in Xi'an in his honor. He designed an intricate mausoleum, which he filled with all kinds of jewelry and luxury items. To protect all these riches, the emperor commissioned to make special soldiers from clay so that they could protect him in the afterlife.

Despite the fact that 7,000 workers were hired to build the mausoleum, who worked on it for decades, the emperor's necropolis was never completed. Qin died in 210 BC without waiting for the completion of the construction of his tomb.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army

For centuries, nothing was known about the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, until in 1974 a group of workers accidentally stumbled upon a large clay war sculpture while drilling a well for a well. Interested in this amazing find, archaeologists began to explore the area and thousands of similar sculptures were found as a result.

Each sculpture in the Terracotta Army is crafted with an impressive level of detail and is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. The sculptures are life-size and vary in height according to rank and uniform. Over time, the clay soldiers acquired grey colour, however, they were originally brightly colored, which further increased their realism and emphasized the skill of the sculptors.

In addition to eight thousand soldiers, one hundred and thirty ceramic chariots and six hundred and seventy horses were found in the necropolis. In addition, the mausoleum contained sculptures of dancers, acrobats and musicians. They are executed on the same high level as the terracotta army.

Terracotta army in China

In addition to clay warriors, along with the emperor, according to ancient Chinese tradition, up to seventy thousand (according to various estimates) living soldiers and workers were buried.

In addition, forty-eight of his concubines went on their last journey together with Qin Shi Huang.

Today, the Qin Shi Huang necropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The vast majority of the terracotta soldiers remain in place, but ten figures have been removed and displayed in museums and exhibitions to allow an international audience to personally appreciate these examples of ancient Chinese culture.

The Terracotta Army is one of the most famous and amazing artifacts of antiquity. Sculptures still inspire artists to create reproductions and works based on motives.

These reinterpretations prove how powerful the legacy of this stunning sculptural complex is.

Source- http://azialand.ru/terrakotovaya-armiya/

East of Xi'an, in the Shaanxi province, there is a military garrison of many thousands, this wonder of the world, known as - Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army ... The underground burials contain at least 8,099 terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses. They were honored to be buried together with the first emperor of Qin - Qin Shi Huang in 210—209. BC

In the Xi'an district, Chinese farmers have long found clay shards, but they were afraid to touch them, let alone pick them up, as they believed that strange shards are magic amulets - the source of various troubles. But already in 1974 everything was explained.

History of the Terracotta Army

One day, the farmer Yan Ji Wang began to dig a well on his plot of land. He did not find water, but he found something else. Yan Ji Wang stumbled upon the figure of an ancient warrior at a depth of 5 meters. The find of the farmer shocked archaeologists. and subsequent excavations showed that she was not alone here. Several thousand warriors have been discovered by scientists. Terracotta soldiers have been buried in the ground for over 2,000 years since the death of the famous unifier of China, Qin Shi Huang.

Mount Lishan Is a man-made Chinese necropolis. The material for the terracotta warriors was taken here. The construction of the terracotta army began in 247 BC. e., more than 700,000 artisans and workers took part in their construction, and, as art historians assume, it took 38 years. Qin Shi Huang was interred in 201 BC. NS. According to the assumption of the Chinese historian Sima Qian, jewelry and artisan products were also buried with him.

Horses and warriors of the Terracotta Army in China were created in different areas. Scientists have found out: the horses were made near Lishan Mountain, most likely to facilitate their transportation (the weight of the horse is approximately 200 kg.), The figures of the warriors are much lighter, about 135 kg., But the place of their creation is still unknown.

Later, on the site of a grandiose find, a city arose. Three pavilions protect the terracotta burial army from bad weather and vandalism. The excavations of the terracotta horde have been going on for about 40 years, but their end is not expected.

Terracotta is yellow or red clay that has been fired at a constant temperature of at least 1000 degrees for several days.

Yang Ji Wang found Qin Shi Huang's first, main battle row, which contains approximately 6,000 terracotta figures. In 1980, archaeologists unearthed a second column of 2,000 statues. Later, in 1994, the General Staff was discovered - a cluster of top military commanders.

About 700,000 craftsmen were involved in the creation of the imperial army. But why did the ancient Chinese need to spend energy and money to create this grandiose composition? And what other secrets does the land of this area keep?

The prolonged bloody period of the seven rival kingdoms ended with the unconditional victory of the Qin dynasty. The young and ambitious ruler Yin Ren subdued all the kingdoms one after another. Their capitals Zhao, Han, Wei, Yin, Chun and Qi were leveled to the ground. For the first time in history, China has achieved unity. Qin Shi Huang appointed himself emperor and immediately moved on to reforms and consolidation of power. He got down to business with the inherent sophistication and scope of a tyrant. He set himself the goal of eliminating any possibility of China's fragmentation and civil strife in the future. The Chinese Empire was divided into 36 districts; two governors (civilian and military) were appointed in each district. The emperor tightened all standards: it concerned money, measures of length and weight, writing, construction, and even the width of the axle for carts. The standard set in the Qin kingdom served as a model. The previous history of China was declared to be of little relevance. In 213 BC. books and ancient annals of the defeated dynasties were set on fire. More than 460 scientists were subjected to execution, who were suspected of disloyalty to the new imperial regime.

The Emperor believed that his dynasty would rule the Empire forever and therefore tried to create attributes befitting eternity. One of the results of the imperial thought about the eternal was the Great Wall of China.

Initially, the ruler wanted to bury 4 thousand young warriors with him, as the ancient Chinese tradition says, but the advisers managed to convince him not to do this. This barbaric act would inevitably lead to rebellion. Then they decided to bury clay statues instead of people. But for reliability, their number was increased. Their gaze was turned to the east, there were located all the kingdoms that suffered from the great tyrant.

Terracotta warriors were made very finely, probably amazing diligence was inherent in their creators. You cannot find in the whole suite identical faces, because they simply do not exist. They reflect the multinationality of the Chinese empire, among them one can observe not only the Chinese, but also the Mongols, Uighurs, Tibetans and many others. The details of clothing and hairstyles correspond to their time. Armor and footwear are reproduced with incredible precision.

The only difference from real people in their height. Their height is 1.90 - 1.95 meters. The army of the divine Qin could not have been that size. The finished sculpting was fired in kilns with a firing temperature of 1,000 degrees. After, the artists painted them with natural colors. A little faded paint can be seen today. However, after a few minutes spent in the air, the colors disappear.

Eleven aisles of the main row of warriors are separated by walls. On top were whole tree trunks covered with mats and 30 cm of cement, and on top of 3 m of earth. This was done in order to protect the deceased emperor among the living. But alas, the calculation could not meet their expectations, a few years later this mighty terracotta army was defeated.

Qin Shi Huang died and his son, the weak-willed and weak Er Shi Huang, became the ruler of the empire. His inability to manage caused a storm of indignation among people. The revolt of the people, which the advisers feared, nevertheless took place and there was no one to suppress it. The first defeat went to the terracotta army.

The indignant crowd plundered and burned the army, because the rebels had nowhere to get weapons. His surplus was melted down and destroyed by Qin Shi Huang in order to avoid various incidents. Here, underground, there were 8,000 sets of bows, shields, spears and swords. The main goal they were the rebels. Government forces were defeated. The son of the great emperor was killed by his own courtiers.

For centuries, robbers have been eager to unearth treasures, some cost their lives. Amazingly, the terracotta soldiers kept the spirit of their ruler as best they could. They say that among the excavations were found human skeletons. Ancient manuscripts say that colossal treasures were buried with the divine Qing, including the golden throne. Qin Shi Huang was able to create intrigue with his riddles. And one of the versions suggests that he was buried in another place, and this is just a decoration. And if so, then the scale of a true burial can only be drawn in fantasy.

Removing the figures from the ground, archaeologists were puzzled by the problem - the paint instantly (5 minutes) dried and burst. And a solution was found - after various treatments(immersion in a container with a humid microclimate, coating special composition and radiation), soldiers are exhibited in museums around the world, now about 1,500 statues have been removed. There is a museum directly at the place of discovery, the first exposition was opened in 1979, but it appeared in all its glory in 1994.

Along with the Great Wall of China and the Shaolin Monastery, the Terracotta Army in China is on the list of the most famous landmarks around the world. If you are lucky enough to travel in Asia, specifically in China then be sure to check out the Xi'an Terracotta Army Museum.

The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China in 1987.

Video Terracotta Army