The terracotta army is a mausoleum for the first emperor of China. It is a collection of sculptures that show the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. The army was buried with the emperor when he died in 210 BC. Around 8000 terracotta warriors exist, all standing around 6 feet tall and weighing around 600 pounds each. These clay sculptures are unique and have different clothing, poses, hairstyles, and facial features. They were created to accompany emperor Qin Shi Huang on his journey to the afterlife. Each clay sculpture held real weapons and was thought to act as a standing army for the Emperor in the afterlife.
The warriors were separated into three pits, the first of which contained an army of around 6000 terracotta warriors. Warriors are placed in a battle-like position and lined up as if they were in an actual battle. The second pit contains Calvary in infantry units. It is often thought that this contains terracotta military guards. The third pit is the command post with high-ranking officers and even award chariots. The terracotta soldiers were discovered in March 1974 when farmers attempted to dig well. It was a revolutionary discovery, as no written records were ever found discussing the terracotta army. These clay masterpieces were well preserved for nearly 2000 years thanks to the soil the army was buried in. There was a sign of fire damage to parts of the pit, but besides that, the color painted over the terracotta clay had dissolved over time; they were excellently preserved. It is believed that laborers created these terracotta army figures in workshops. After they were finished, the figures were placed in a military formation according to rank in duty, just like they would be on a battlefield. Their faces were created using different molds; around ten molds were believed to be made, and each soldier’s face would then be altered to look different from each other. The warriors are part of the most prominent funeral sites in the world and work necessary in providing historical insight into the reign of Qin Shi Huang. In addition to this, the army offers insight into the military organization of the time, providing very valuable information about Chinese warfare tactics and strategies. As previously mentioned, the soldiers were placed as they would be in an actual army; it is even believed that these terracotta warriors were modeled from the faces of actual warriors of that time. The discovery also sparked interest in ancient Chinese archaeology and history. Overall, the discovery of the terracotta warriors was monumental; not only were there no records of the terracotta soldiers, but they served as a representation of China’s military power during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. They are indeed an artistic masterpiece, with no two soldiers being exactly alike, and they even represent different parts of the military, such as the infantry, archers, and high-ranking officials. Even a few terracotta musicians and birds were thought to exist to entertain the emperor during the afterlife. Their creation was to protect and entertain the emperor in his journey to the afterlife and protect his body. In that sense, they did an excellent job, as the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang had never been opened and had remained sealed for centuries.
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