PRESENTATION OUTLINE
The Terracotta Warriors can be seen in Xi'an, China. The then emporer of China, Qui Shi Huang, had them built out of terracotta clay by about 700,000 slaves to accompany himself into the afterlife.
Ying Zheng took to the throne in 246 B.C. When he was only 13. By 221 B.C., he had taken over a collection of warring countries and he changed his name to Qui Shin Huang and became the first emperor of Qin.
During his rule, he interlinked the different states with canals and roads, and he was given the credit for building the Great Wall.
According to different writings of court historian Siam Qian, during the following Han dynasty, Qin ordered the mausoleum's construction to begin shortly after taking over the throne. There was more than 700,000 labourers that worked on the project, which was halted to an abrupt stop in 209 B.C.amid uprisings about a year after Qin's death.
To this date, four pits have been partially excavated by archaeologists. Three are filled with terra-cotta soldiers, horse-drawn chariots, and weapons. The fourth pit is empty, presumably due to the unfinished construction.
Archaeologists think that the pits may contain as many as 8,000 figures carved out of terra-cotta clay, but it is quite possible that the total number of figures may never be known.
The emperor's tomb itself remains unexcavated, although Siam Qian's writings suggest that there are even greater treasures buried with the emperor himself.
" The tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions, and offices as well as fine vessels, precious stones and rarities. ", reads a translation of text by Siam Qian.
Many people believe that the emperors's tomb is surrounded by streams and rivers of mercury, as the emperor himself believed that mercury would give him eternal life. Even today, modern day tests on the tomb have revealed unusually high amounts of mercury, which has led many to believe the historical account.
" It is best to keep the ancient tomb untouched, because of the complex conditions inside. ", Duan Qinbao, a researcher with the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeology Instutiute, told China Daily.
SOURCE: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
