Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses

The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.
Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had begun to work for his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC).
The State Council authorized to build a museum on site in 1975. When completed, people from far and near came to visit. Xian and the Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses have become landmarks on all travelers' itinerary.
Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor.
The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front, followed by war chariots at the back.
No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and four horses.
Altogether over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur.
The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses is a sensational archeological find of all times. It has put Xian on the map for tourists. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.

Admission Fee: CNY 90 (Mar.1 to Nov. 30), CNY 65 (Dec. 1 to Feb. 28/29) Opening Hours: 08:00 to 18:00 Recommended Time for a Visit: Three hours Bus Route: 914 and Tourist Bus 5 (306) at the East Square of Xian Railway Station

Set of figures in Pit No. 1 includes: Large body of troops from the left wing marshalled in battle order.
At the entrance of the museum, you face a huge modern structure right ahead. It is the Pit No. 1. With 14,260 square meters (3.52 acres), it is the largest of the three pits.
Terra Cotta Pit No. 1 is oblong: 230 meters east to west, and 62 meters north to south. At a depth of five meters, it is cavern-like and constructed from earth and wood. Five slopping entrances reach down to it from the east and west. Ten partitioning walls separate the underground army into different columns. The walls are reinforced by stout beams, which are covered by reeds and earth. The floor is paved with black bricks. There are more than 6,000 terracotta warriors and horses in Pit No. 1, marshaled into battle line formation. Three columns facing out on the east act as vanguard. Each squad is 70 strong, making it 210 troopers altogether. They flank out left and right on the south and the north. The rear guard is on the west. They are armed with crossbows.

Set of figures in Pit No. 2 includes: Four mobile combat units ready to attack independently or en masse.
The Terra Cotta Pit No. 2 is 20 meters due east of Pit No. 1. It is 6,000 square meters subdivided into L-Shaped foursquare sections, where archeologists unearthed 1,000 warriors, 500 horses, and 89 wooden chariots. The horses are both for pulling chariots and for carrying riders. It reflects a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere.
First Section: First group, 334 archers, is lined up in eight clusters. They are armed with crossbows. Some 160, clad in heavy protective armor, are in the front line kneeling position, and others stand behind to shoot over their heads.
Second Section: Second group, 64 chariots, is also in eight clusters. Each chariot is officered by an archer, supported by a soldier on either side, and reinforced by another infantryman in the flank. It is an improvement on chariot tactics.
Third Section: At the center of Pit No. 2, the third section has 19 war chariots and around 100 warriors. They are three clusters: the right, the left, and the rear. Each has chariots up at front. Messengers and archers hurry about on their business.

Fourth Section: The fourth section is due north. There are three clusters, consisting of six chariots, 124 vaulting horses and men. Each chariot carries two: the charioteer and his scout. The cavalryman looks ferocious, and holds a bow in his hand. The wooden chariots have rotten away with age, but they leave clear unmistakable marks on the floor.
The four sections may each engage the enemy singly or as a combined unit.
Set of figures in Pit No. 3 includes: Headquarters group.
You reach Pit No. 3 by walking 25 meters north from Pit No. 1. It was discovered within a month after the archeologists had found Pit No. 2. It is a concave structure of 520 square meters. There are 68 warriors, four horses and one chariot. No battle formation.

The terracotta warriors are posted on guard duties. There are animal bones and deer horns strewn about, probably sacrifices offered on the eve of a battle. You could find the terracotta warriors with painted faces and wearing painted armor. Archeology experts attribute to this group the command center or headquarters group for those in the other two pits.

Bronze Chariots
How Discovered: Two large scale-models of bronze chariots came unearthed in December, 1980, about 20 meters east of Emperor Qin's mausoleum. They were tagged Chariot No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. Both required extensive restorations, over two and half years, before displayable in public. No. 2 was unveiled first -- in 1983, then No.1 -- in 1988.
These were encased in a wooden box measuring 6.8 x 2.1x 2 meters for over two thousand years. And the box was buried 8 meters down in a trench. The trench runs 7 meters east to west, with a width of 2.3 meters.
These are half size scale-models of real chariots, faithfully copied down to the last detail, complete with horses and people. They are constructed with bronze and cast bullion. There are 1720 gold and silver pieces, weighing 7 kilograms. No. 1 chariot is in the lead, with a four-horse team. The chariot has been painted white by conservation workers. The two are a must-see by visitors.
Originally buried 20 meters west of the Emperor's mausoleum, two chariots faced west in large 7-meter-long (23 feet in length) and 2.3 meters wide (7.54 feet in width) wooden coffins. They were thought to be half the actual size and were supposed to serve as the vehicle for the emperor's inspection tours in his afterlife. The colorful square carriages are decorated with geometric and cloud patterns. Coachmen armed with swords guard the chariots on both sides.

No. 1 Chariot: It is the vanguard, a two-wheeled vehicle drawn by a team of four strong horses. There is only one seat for the driver, whose eyes are glued to the road ahead. There is a large umbrella providing shade from the sun.
Measurement: 225 x 126 x 70 cm
No. 2 Chariot: It is larger than the lead chariot. The horses are richly adorned with gold and silver gears. There are three windows, one out front, and one on each side in the compartment, and a door opens at the back. One may open and close the windows and the door, and look in at the exquisite interior. The roof is umbrella shaped, said to be symbolic of the round sky.
Measurement: 317 (long) x 106 (high) cm
The bronze chariot models add to the nation's great archeological treasures. These represent the largest finds of earliest delicate fine bronze work anywhere in the world.

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