The Terracotta Army is a collection of life-size terracotta figures of soldiers, horses, and war chariots that accompanied the monumental mausoleum complex of China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi (259–210 BCE).

Discovered by chance in Lintong in 1974, these figures were placed in pits surrounding the burial mound in battle formation, intended to ensure that the emperor would continue to rule in the afterlife. Comprising approximately seven thousand warriors, horses, musicians, and attendants, the army provides direct evidence of the military organization of the Qin dynasty and represents a remarkable example of ceramic technology, standardization, and artistic skill of the period.

History

The origins of the Terracotta Army are linked to the monumental construction of the mausoleum of Qin Shihuangdi, begun at a young age. Born in 259 BCE, he ascended the Qin throne in 247 BCE and, in 221 BCE, unified China under a centralized empire for the first time. Aspiring to rule even after death, he initiated the construction of his vast funerary complex in 246 BCE, at the age of thirteen, and work continued until his death in 210 BCE.

According to the historian Sima Qian, hundreds of thousands of artisans and laborers were mobilized from across the empire, bringing the workforce to as many as 700,000. The most striking feature of the mausoleum is the army of terracotta figures arranged in battle formation to guard the emperor in the afterlife. Their manufacture employed modular molds, standardized clay mixtures, and carefully controlled firing techniques.

The Terracotta Army was unearthed in 1974, when farmers in Lintong accidentally discovered fragments while digging a well. Subsequent excavations revealed thousands of figures across three main pits and one unfinished pit. This discovery is regarded as one of the most important in Chinese archaeology and world cultural heritage. In 1987, the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its exceptional artistic and technical value.

Excavation Site

The mausoleum of Qin Shihuangdi is located in Shaanxi Province, about 35 kilometers northeast of Xi’an, at the northern foot of Mount Lishan. The site covers a total area of 56.25 km², with a central burial mound rising to 51.3 meters. The mound is enclosed within a rectangular, north–south oriented plan, surrounded by double walls.

To date, around 200 burial pits and more than 600 archaeological features have been documented. These include the Army Pits, ritual structures, architectural remains, bronze chariots, and special pits containing terracotta waterfowl.

The Army Pits consist of four sections: Pit 1, the largest, contains mainly infantry; Pit 2 includes cavalry, archers, and war chariots; Pit 3 appears to have served as a command post; and Pit 4 was left unfinished. The overall layout reflects the urban plan of the Qin capital, Xianyang, resembling an underground city with a palace at its center and functional quarters surrounding it.

Figures

The Terracotta Army includes about 7,000 terracotta figures. Among them are infantrymen, archers, cavalrymen, charioteers, commanders, and generals, as well as musicians, officials, craftsmen, horses, and chariots.

The figures are life-size, averaging between 185 and 194 centimeters in height, which is significantly taller than the population average of the period. Close observation reveals individual differences in hairstyles, facial features, beards and mustaches, garments, and armor details. Although these variations create the impression of unique portraits, the production process was modular: heads, arms, hands, and torsos were made from molds and then refined with carved details to add individuality.

Military figures are distinguished by their rank and role. Generals are depicted with elaborate armor and “pheasant-tail” headdresses, while infantrymen wear simple uniforms, and cavalrymen are shown with short armored jackets and saddled horses.

The sculptures were originally painted in vivid colors. Over a lacquer base, pigments such as malachite green, cinnabar red, azurite blue, and the synthetic pigment “Han purple” were applied. Most of these colors deteriorated rapidly after excavation, leaving only traces on the surfaces of the figures.