The Terracotta Army of China

One of the most famous works of ancient Chinese art is an army of terracotta warriors, horses and chariots. These figures guard the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, who ruled in 221 BCE and was known for his nation-building efforts. He was buried with his terracotta army as an expression of his power.

The Terracotta Army consists of over 7,000 life-size terracotta sculptures that were created to protect the burial of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, who unified China. They are arranged in battle formation and stand guard to the east, facing the tomb's entrance. They are a remarkable achievement in artistic realism and diversity.

They were sculpted by teams of artists who formed molds from a model. They were then fired in kilns to make them hard and durable, then they were painted with vibrant colors. Most of the color on the figures is faded, but traces of it remain on some.

Some of the soldiers were also armed with weapons, such as swords and spears. These weapons were coated with a thin layer of chromium to keep them from being damaged by the elements and corroded over time.

These terracotta soldiers were originally painted with bright colors, but that paint has all but disappeared. The original paint would have been bright and vivid, but after 2,000 years of erosion and humidity the colors are faded.

During the construction of the tomb, hundreds of thousands of workers were employed. These artisans were able to create a vast number of terracotta soldiers and chariots, thanks to an assembly-line style production process that was new at the time.

The terracotta warriors were made by teams of sculptors who created molds from models. The faces and hairdos were modeled separately and then assembled together.

While it is impossible to determine exactly how many sculptors worked on the project, estimates put the figure at 700,000. These laborers were mainly farmers and slaves from the surrounding countryside who were given the job of constructing the terracotta warriors.

Each terracotta soldier has a distinctive chiseled face and features unique facial expressions, including a smile or frown. They were crafted in the image of Qin Shi Huangdi's army and are a rare example of ancient Chinese sculpture.

They were buried with the Emperor as an expression of his power and are believed to be a powerful symbol of his immortality. They are a reminder that in ancient China death was not an end but an entry point into another life.

These terracotta soldiers are the most important part of the emperor's tomb and are considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. The army is housed in four main pits, each approximately 21 feet deep. They are located about a mile (1.6 km) east of the tomb.

When the terracotta army was discovered in 1974, it had been hidden for more than 2000 years underneath unrelenting soil. The army is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese art and a significant cultural and historical heritage site. It is regarded as the most important work of its kind in the world and was selected by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site.