Terracotta Warriors
Qin tomb army
The Terracotta Warriors are thousands of life-sized clay soldier statues buried with China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, around 210 BCE.
Discovered in 1974 near Xi'an, the army was meant to protect him in the afterlife.
Each figure has individualized features—no two faces are alike.
The site has become one of China's most visited archaeological attractions: We saw the Terracotta Warriors on our trip to Xi'an.
- excavation siteLocation of systematic unearthing
- clay sculptureArtwork shaped from earth
- kiln firingHeating ceramics in furnace
- ancient ChinaEast Asian historical civilization
- museum exhibitionsCurated public displays
Xi'an · burial traditions · preservation techniques · cultural diplomacy · ancestor worship · artistic workshops · bronze weapons · standing guard · divine connection · Great Wall of China · Silk Road · ceremonial practices · educational programs · mass production · underground vault · historical reenactments
- East AsiaChina, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Korea
- Qin DynastyFirst Emperor, mausoleum, imperial seal, burial site
- terracottaclay tiles, clay tile, flower pots, flowerpots, fired clay
- ShaanxiXi'an, Great Mosque, Loess Plateau
- Ancient WondersGreat Pyramid, Colossus of Rhodes, Lighthouse of Alexandria, Temple of Artemis, Statue of Zeus
- Western ChinaXinjiang, Tibet, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Lhasa
Terracotta WarriorsColossus of Rhodes
Ancient wonder, bronze statue
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World · Lighthouse of Alexandria
terra, terracotta, terrain, terrace, terraces, terraced, terracing, terrestrial, extraterrestrial