2K OELP 2014 G1: The Terracotta Army/ Terracotta Warriors and Horses

The Terracotta Army/ Terracotta Warriors and Horses

The Terracotta Army ---- ever wondered about its origins and its history?

A collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China, and one of the most fascinating archeological discovery of modern time in Shaanxi province, China. The Terracotta Army is made out of with terracotta, literally meaning “baked earth”, natural clay, being officially uncovered in 1974 while a group of peasants were digging up a well near the royal tomb. As a form of funerary art, it was ‘buried’ with Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 210–209 BC, whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife, and took around 700,000 craftsmen and over a span of 36 years to construct!

The mausoleum, with the Emperor’s tomb stationed in the centre, have four pits of battle-ready warriors stationed near the tomb. The first pit, as large as two football fields, with around 6000 warriors, made up of archers, charioteers, foot soldiers, etc. in battle-ready formation. A smaller second pit nearby was filled with approximately 900 warriors who are more powerful and have higher ranks such as generals. The third pit is where strategists and scholars are located to discuss battle formations. The fourth and final pit was discovered empty, scholars befuddled by this. Servants, acrobats, dancers, singers, strongmen, and animals were also excavated, serving as entertainment to the Emperor while the warriors ‘protect’ the Emperor and his afterlife kingdom. So much thought and effort being put into the crafting of the army, no two figures having the same facial features, hair styles and clothing design, each having its own unique identity.

For China, the Terracotta Army is something of great value to them, in honour of the First Emperor, and showed the huge amount of respect the Chinese had for the Emperor, and his importance to them. For me, the Terracotta Army is a projection of the great history of China, showing us a great deal of information of Ancient China, about the Qing Dynasty, their distribution and formation of ranks, use of weapons and the application of military tactics, etc., a window to what China was like back then.