“If you die, you won’t take anything with you,” says folk wisdom. But the first Chinese emperor did not think so, he intended to take everything that was possible to the next world. Even the army

In March 1974, in Shaanxi province, one and a half kilometers from the majestic burial mound of the ancient Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, local peasants were digging a well. They searched for water, but found a life-sized clay head and torso. Later, archaeologists removed from the ground and reassembled hundreds of statues of terracotta warriors and horses. The clay army, over 2200 years old, was 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. In 2006, they even "came on stage" at the New York Metropolitan Opera as a backdrop for Tan Dun's opera The First Emperor. The role of Qin Shi Huang, on whose orders the Terracotta Army was created, was performed by the famous tenor Placido Domingo.

Ruled in the III century BC. e. the first unifier of China (the name Qin Shi Huang, which he adopted as a result of his conquests, 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 drug that gave eternal life, and could not stand talking about death. However, the ruler also took care not to need anything if he still had to go to the afterlife. Qin Shi Huang took with him to the grave "models" of his empire and palace, statues of officials, artists, servants. 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, you need to bury, as well as settle, where the qi energy lingers, 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 recreation. Such palaces were often built in ancient Chinese burial complexes.

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

Chariots. Two bronze chariots with four horses were found in a square pit - an open combat chariot (in battle such were in the vanguard of the Qin army) and equipped with a closed cabin (probably for inspection trips around the country). The chariots and horses are half their natural 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 are the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and the underground palace. What is in them remains a mystery: the authorities do not give permission for large-scale excavations, fearing to damage the treasures. Opening the embankment is unsafe: soil analysis revealed an increased content of mercury. 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” were filled with mercury on it.

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

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

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

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

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

Structural solution

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

Each warrior has individual facial features, and the shape of the ears is also different. Initially, the figures were brightly colored, the colors corresponding to ranks and divisions.

Terracotta army pits

They are located on the approaches to the mound: clay warriors, as it were, are put up to protect it. The earthen walls of the pits were reinforced with wooden beams, the floor was paved with gray bricks, the ceilings above the premises were log, they were covered with mats, a layer of clay to protect against water and several layers of rammed earth. More than 8,000 terracotta figures have been found in three pits, and this is not the limit. Since 1979, the Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang has been open here.

Stages of "production"

1 Sculpting the body It was carried out in a tape way - from clay strips 2–4 cm wide and 2–7 cm thick. The body was made hollow to reduce pressure on the legs.

2 Heads, arms and legs were made separately, in two-part forms, according to the technology worked out in the production of clay pipes and tiles. The heads were made hollow.

3 Assembly. The connection of the limbs with the body was fixed with clay strips.

4 Personalization. Plates of armor were applied to the body with a new layer. The face was given special features. A mustache, beard, ears, hairstyle, headdress were attached to the head.

5 Drying and firing. The figures were dried in the open air in the shade, and then fired in kilns at 800–1200°C.

6 Painting. Paints were made on an egg basis from pigments of mineral origin.

7 Armament. The soldiers were given real military weapons, some specimens managed to visit the battle.

Pit layout

(1) Pit #1. The largest one is its area of ​​13,029 m2. About 6,000 warriors in battle order, horses and chariots.

(2) Pit #2- Military camp. Remains of chariots, figures of horses and soldiers.

(3) Pit #3- "Command Headquarters". It has only one chariot with four horses, statues of officers and soldiers of the "guard".

(4) Pit #4 empty - perhaps they simply did not have time to fill it.

"Construction of the century" number two

Under Qin Shi Huang, the fortifications erected along the northern borders to protect against barbarians were united into the Great Wall of China (although the one that has survived to this day was mainly created during the Ming dynasty, XIV-XVII centuries). Qin Shi Huang generally liked to build, especially palaces. However, the cyclopean projects exhausted the state and were a heavy burden for its inhabitants. In fact, the ruler literally took with him to the grave the greatness and prosperity of the empire he created: after the death of Qin Shi Huang in 210 BC. e. uprisings broke out all over the country. As a result, four years later, the dynasty, which, according to his plan, was supposed to rule for 10,000 years, was overthrown.

Photo: Alamy / Legion-media (x2), Reuters / Pix-Stream, Diomedia, iStock (X4), Barcroft / TASS Newsreel

You will find a complete list of 155 wonders that you need to see with your own eyes in the anniversary, December issue of Vokrug Sveta magazine.

The Terracotta Army is the legendary clay army of China. It consists of at least eight thousand full-sized 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 most important events in world archeology.

Where is the terracotta army

The Terracotta Army was discovered in the northwest in 1974 and attributed to his first dynasty. The discovery of the emperor's ceramic troops shed light on the centuries-old burial rites and features of Chinese ceramic processing. Besides the fact that the sculptures are of archaeological and artistic value, they are one of the main attractions of Chinese culture. The quality 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, the first emperor of China, took the throne at the age of thirteen. Many achievements are attributed to the first emperor, such as: the construction of the Great Wall, the production 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 perpetuate his name for posterity and ordered the construction of a necropolis in Xi'an in his honor. He designed an elaborate mausoleum that he filled with all sorts of jewels and luxury items. To protect all these riches, the emperor instructed 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 before his tomb was completed.

Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

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

Each sculpture in the Terracotta Army is crafted to an impressive level of detail and is a one-of-a-kind work of art. The sculptures are life-sized and differ in their height according to ranking by rank and uniform. Over time, the clay soldiers acquired a gray color, but initially they were 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 made at 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 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 experience these examples of ancient Chinese culture in person.

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

These reimaginings prove how strong the legacy of this amazing sculptural complex is.

There are 3 capitals in the world known for their ancient values ​​- Rome, Athens and Xi'an. There is a whole army in Xi'an whose purpose was to guard the tomb of the emperor. More than two thousand years have passed, and the immovable soldiers are still standing, silently fulfilling their destiny. Their name is . All the figures are made so realistic that you doubt that they are made of clay: each has its own facial expression. At the same time, absolutely everyone is different - there is not a single soldier who would be similar to another.

The Terracotta Army is located in the Xi'an province near the city of Lintong. A stone army accompanies the burial of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. It was on his initiative that they began to build and. There is no doubt that the purpose of this army was to guard the emperor and fight for him in the Realm of Death. So far, 8,000 figures have been found in underground halls or pits. That's what it is .

Foot soldiers, archers, crossbow shooters, cavalrymen, war chariots with horses are lined up in battle order. The height of the warriors is from 1.6 to 1.7 meters, and none is like the other. Everyone is in different poses - someone is standing like a pillar, someone is holding a sword, as if repelling an attack, and someone, kneeling, is pulling a bowstring. The statues themselves are hollow, except for the legs, otherwise they would not have been able to stand for so long.
Previously, the entire army was painted in bright colors, but over time, the paint, of course, came off. Not all figures of warriors depict the Chinese, there are also Mongols, Uighurs, Tibetans and so on. All details of clothing or hairstyle strictly correspond to the fashion of that time. Everyone has their own weapon, by the way, for many it is not stone, but the most worthless. True, most of the swords and bows were stolen in ancient times by marauders.

Terracotta Army: Interesting Facts

In 246 BC, after the death of King Zhuang Xiang-wang, his son Ying Zheng, known in history as Qin Shi Huangdi, ascended the throne of the Qin kingdom.

By the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Qin kingdom occupied a rather vast territory. By the time of accession to the throne, Ying Zheng was only thirteen years old, until he came of age, the first adviser to the king, Lu Bu-wei, actually ruled the state.

In 230 BC, Ying Zheng sent a huge army against the neighboring kingdom of Han. The Qin defeated the Han troops, captured the Han king An Wang and occupied the entire territory of the kingdom, turning it into a Qin district. This was the first kingdom conquered by the Qin. In subsequent years, their army captured the kingdoms of Zhao, Wei, Yan, Qi.

By 221 BC, the Qin kingdom had victoriously ended the long struggle for the unification of the country. In place of scattered kingdoms, a single empire with centralized power is being created. Since Ying Zheng became the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, he ordered himself to be called Shi Huangdi - "the first highest emperor." He was in fact an unlimited head of state and was distinguished by a special despotism.

The first emperor did not doubt for a minute that his dynasty would rule forever, and therefore tried to create attributes appropriate for eternity. Especially rapid development during the period of the empire was the construction business. During his reign, beautiful palaces were built (the largest palace was the Efangong Palace, erected by Qin Shi Huang near the capital of the empire, on the south bank of the Wei-he River). In order to protect the outskirts of the empire from enemies, Qin Shi Huang decided to start building a grandiose structure - a defensive wall along the entire northern border of the empire, which is known to our contemporaries as the Great Wall of China.

In 210 BC, the almighty Qin Shi Huang passed away, his body was buried in a special mausoleum. A detailed description of the grandiose underground palace and the colossal mound above it belongs to the father of Chinese history, Sima Qian, the chief court historiographer of the emperor. 700 thousand slaves, soldiers and forced peasants participated in the construction of the mausoleum for 37 years.

So many people built and.

The records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (now the preserved earthen hill, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high). Qin Shi Huang sincerely believed that he could rule his empire even from the underworld. For this, he believed, he would need an army - this is how the terracotta army appeared. Even during his lifetime, the emperor wanted clay idols to go to another world with him after death, as he believed that the souls of imperial soldiers would move into them (in any case, this is what an old Chinese legend says).

The warrior statues were made from the casts of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's elite bodyguards. The manufacturing technology was as follows. The main material for statues is terracotta, that is, yellow or red fired unglazed clay. First, the body was molded. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. It is on it that the center of gravity falls. The top is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it had been fired in the kiln. At the end, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it an individual expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of 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 not lower than 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were fashioned became as strong as granite.

The tomb of the emperor stands 100 meters west of the pits with the terracotta soldiers. Qin Shi Huang himself died in 210 BC, this date should be considered the approximate date of the construction of the terracotta army. The tomb itself also deserves attention. It is assumed that more than 70,000 people were buried with the emperor: courtiers, servants and concubines, who could serve their master in another world as well as during his lifetime.

Why "assumed"? The fact is that no one knows where to look for the entrance. It may very well be that those workers who built the tomb were then killed and buried there - so that the secret would never be revealed. And now the pyramid is under a large earthen rampart. By the way, a clay army would have been under the same rampart if scientists had not dug it up.
It is not entirely clear why Terracotta Army of China and the tomb turned out to be buried under a large layer of earth. Scientists doubt that they were deliberately buried. Most are still inclined to another version: most likely, this happened due to a big fire (traces of fire were found). Perhaps the robbers either could not get into the tomb, where, in their opinion, there should have been a lot of treasures. Angry, they started a big fire. It is possible that they nevertheless got inside the tomb, and they needed a fire to eliminate the traces of the crime. One way or another, the fire led to a collapse, burying thousands of clay troops in wet ground for more than two thousand years...

Terracotta Army: Discovery Story

Until 1974, the existence of the terracotta army was not even suspected. It was in this year that several peasants began to dig a well, but were forced to suspend their work - suddenly, right out of the ground, they began to dig statues of soldiers in human height, besides people, horses and whole chariots appeared.

The well, of course, was no longer dug; archeological excavations began here, and the most unusual in recent times. Thousands of soldiers and animals were taken into the world.

In total, 3 holes were dug, slightly distant from each other. The first contained statues of foot soldiers, chariots and archers. This pit is the deepest - 5 meters, and its area is 229 by 61 meters. In the second pit, smaller in size, there were not 6,000 soldiers, as in the first, but only 100. The smallest depression hid 68 figures, obviously depicting the command headquarters. Nowadays, everyone 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 located there.

Video footage of the excavations is shown in the museum, and other figures are on display, including two miniature bronze chariots with horses and half-life-size charioteers. The latter were discovered in 1980 and are exactly the vehicles used by the emperor, his concubines and 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. In shape, it resembles an indoor pool or stadium.

The excavations are not yet fully completed, they are still ongoing. And they probably won't 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 defile it with their unholy touch. So, according to Professor Yuan Jungai: "Many more years will pass before we can finally continue excavations." The find 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, it is a real sculptural miracle.

Terracotta Army: how to get there

Usually, the attractions depart from Beijing or Shanghai, but you can fly directly to Xi'an. If you go through the first 2 cities, then from there you can get to Xi'an by car (11 hours drive), by train (6 hours) or by plane (2.5 hours on the way).
From Xi'an, the Terracotta Army can be reached by buses No. 306, 914, 915. They will take you to the place in an hour. Ticket price within 12 yuan.

The rich and mysterious history of China, numbering thousands of years, reveals its secrets to mankind. One of these mysteries is terracotta army in china, which is considered by many to be one of the eight wonders of the world.

The cruel and ambitious ruler Qin Shi Huang, known in history as the unifier of the lands, declared himself the first emperor of the Qin Empire. Many reforms aimed at establishing unconditional power are associated with it. For example, he established territorial districts, introduced a single standardization for measuring weights and length, writing, construction, and even the width of the axle of carts. In an effort to strengthen power and make it eternal, even after death, the emperor wanted to have a powerful army at his disposal. He ordered to bury with him about 4 thousand young soldiers. And according to legend, only the inevitability of riots forced the emperor to abandon this idea. The warriors were replaced by clay figurines, for reliability their number was doubled. The army was deployed to the East, since from this side the ruler felt a danger to the Qin empire. So, together with the emperor, in 210-209. BC. an entire army was buried, which has about 8100 warriors made of terracotta clay with uniforms and horses.

About the history of excavations

Where is the terracotta army located in China? Near the city of Xi'an in the province of Shengbsi, peasants came across many pottery shards. It was believed that such finds bring bad luck. In 1974, while digging a well, the farmer Yan Ji Wang discovered the first figure of a warrior made of clay. This was the beginning of a grandiose excavation.

Very soon, scientists realized that a whole army was opening up before them, which had a history of two thousand years. Excavations of this unique "dead army" have been going on for several decades, but much still remains hidden, and the mystery has not been fully solved.

Terracotta Army in China located on several levels. In 1974, the first tier was opened. The vanguard of the army has about 6 thousand figures of warriors. After 10 years, the second tier was opened with 2 thousand clay warriors. A decade later, the headquarters of the army was discovered, which consisted of figures of the highest military leadership. A little later, the statues of musicians, officials, acrobats were opened. Since 2009, the latest stage of these grandiose excavations began, which uncovered more than 600 different clay statues.

army sculptures

The legend claims that about 48 concubines and 70 thousand artisans who made figures were buried with the emperor. Archaeologists have discovered many graves located near the main burial ground. But the most amazing find is the army, consisting of 8 thousand infantry, archers and cavalry, which was hidden under the earth.

Amazing terracotta warriors had their own characteristics:

• The height of the figures is from 1.78 to 2.01 m, which does not correspond to the height of real people of that time.
• The leading officers are taller than ordinary soldiers.
• All soldiers of the army are deployed in battle formations. For example, archers are on one knee, which eliminates possible interference with the second row of warriors for shooting. This makes it possible to evaluate the military tactical science of that time.
• Each pose and faces of the warriors are different from each other. No two warriors are the same. This gives grounds to assume that living warriors of Emperor Qin served as kind for the clay army.
• Interestingly, by nationality, clay figurines were depicted not only by the Chinese. Among them there are Tibetan and Mongolian types of faces.
• The figures are reproduced with pedantic precision in detail. Clothing, hairstyles, armor, shoes - everything corresponds to that time.
• After making the sculptures, they were fired in kilns at a temperature of more than 1000 degrees. Further, all the figures were painted in natural colors, the remains of which are still partially preserved.
• The main array of warriors has 11 passages, which are separated by walls. From above, the rows were covered with tree trunks, covered with mats and a 30 cm layer of cement. All this was covered with a layer of earth of 3 meters.

During the excavations, archaeologists faced a difficult task. When removing from the ground the paint that covered the figures, for 5 minutes. dried up, began to burst and crumble. But the task of conservation was found. The figures were placed in a tank with a certain humidity, covered with a special solution and irradiated. Thereby, terracotta army in china has been preserved in its original form. In 1987, Emperor Qin's army was included in the specially protected objects of UNXCO.

When visiting China, along with the Great Wall of China and the Shaolin Monastery, one should not miss the museum in the city of Xi'an. A grandiose spectacle will appear before you - a huge army of ancient warriors with weapons, horsemen on chariots skillfully molded by the ancient masters of China.

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

Brief historical background

Qin Shi Huang was born in 259 BC. e., in the first month of the Chinese calendar year. In this regard, he was given the name Zheng, which means "first." The birthplace of the ruler was Handan. There, his father was a hostage and his mother a concubine. Qin Shi Huang initiated a wide construction activity. Palaces and temples were erected in all cities of the empire, so, 270 palaces were built in the vicinity of Chang'an. The rooms in them were all decorated with canopies and curtains. Everywhere there lived the most beautiful concubines. 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.

Terracotta Army of China

Long before his death, the ruler began the construction of a luxurious, huge burial complex in Mount Lishan. The construction of the building lasted for thirty-eight years. At the 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 found on the territory of the memorial. The terracotta army is buried in them, the war cavalry, which recreates the real army. It was completed according to all state rules of that time.

Mystery of the Terracotta Army

The buried figures, which had been underground for more than two millennia, were discovered by accident in March 1974. At that time, the peasants were digging a well and stumbled upon the figures of horses and soldiers in the growth of 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 and in the realm of death. Qin Shi Huang believed that he would rule his state even from the afterlife. But he, as he believed, was indispensable soldiers. Therefore, 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. Living people were to be replaced by clay statues. It was assumed that the souls of all the 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 jewelry precision. None of the figures are alike. The faces of the soldiers show the multinationality of the middle state. So, the terracotta army of China consisted not only of the direct inhabitants of the country. Among the soldiers were Mongols, and Tibetans, and Uighurs, and representatives of other nationalities. Every detail of clothing was made in accordance with that period. Armor, shoes are reproduced in 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 laid 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 footmen are war chariots, which, unlike clay human and horse figures, were originally made of wood. That is why there is practically nothing left of them. The infantrymen, located around them, are armed with six-meter bamboo spears, using which the soldiers blocked the enemy's path to the horses. Signal drums and bells were once placed on two chariots, by which orders were given and the direction of the attack was determined. Soldiers are also stationed in the northern and eastern corridors, guarding the approaches from the flanks to the main parts. They, like most foot soldiers, lack shields. The fact is that the terracotta army of Qin Shi Huang consisted only of fearless and strong soldiers who, not being afraid of death, did not wear either shields or armor. On the heads of the officers, as a rule, there were caps, and the 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. There are only 68 figures in the third gallery. Presumably, these are staff officers and batmen.

How were the figures made?

According to technology, the torso was molded first. From below, the statue was monolithic and massive, respectively. It is on this lower part that the entire center of gravity falls. From above, the body of the figure 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. The hairstyle of each warrior was also accurately conveyed. At that time, hair was the subject of increased attention. The figures were fired for several days at a constantly maintained temperature not lower than a thousand degrees. Thanks to such a long firing, the clay, hardening, became like granite. After that, the best artists applied paint to the statues. It should be said that the terracotta army was painted in natural colors. But over the course of 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 burial complex, were the most popular vehicle used by the ruler, courtiers and concubines. Weapons, linen and silk items, etc., should also be noted among the items found. The swords are well preserved. Their blades are still as sharp as in those ancient times, and it is simply impossible to touch them with a bare hand - a cut immediately remains. The eleven corridors of the main hall are separated by thick walls. Ancient masters laid out whole tree trunks on top, which they covered with mats. On top of this, a thirty-centimeter layer of cement was poured. Three meters of earth were laid on it. All this was supposed to provide reliable protection to the deceased ruler in the kingdom of the living. But, unfortunately, the calculation failed.

Peasant uprising

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 feared so much. 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 immobile army. It should be said that these actions were not so much an act of vandalism as a practical decision of the rioters. The fact is that before his death, the first ruler ordered the destruction of all existing weapons, except for the one that the soldiers of the terracotta army were supposed to have. As a result, there were no weapons in the state, but 8,000 excellent sets of new bows, arrows, swords, spears, and shields were buried underground. As a result, the rebels, having seized 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

For many centuries, various attempts were made to find treasures in the burial complex, a great many expeditions were undertaken. Moreover, both archaeologists and ordinary robbers participated 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 is worth several tens of thousands of dollars.