The Terracotta Army, one of the greatest archeological discoveries and wonders of the world, are life-sized clay sculptures depicting the armies of China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
The structures are said to be a form of elaborate art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE to protect him in the afterlife.
The sculptures were discovered by farmers in 1974. And each of the sculptures has a unique facial expression. The terracotta soldiers were found arranged in order of rank.
Four pits have been excavated with 3 of the pits filled with terracotta soldiers, horse-drawn chariots, and weapons. “The fourth pit is empty, a testament to the original unfinished construction.”
Archeologists estimate that the pits may contain as many as 8,000 sculptures.
Source nationalgeographic
