Curiosities Of The Terracotta Warriors Of Xian
You have surely heard of this fabulous army discovered in Xian, China. If you want to know more about him, keep reading. We explain the origin, location and some curiosities of the Terracotta Warriors. This will be, to say the least, a very cultural and interesting visit. Are you coming?
What are and where are the Terracotta Warriors
The Xian Army is an impressive set of figures of warriors and horses. They are made, as their name says, of terracotta and were buried by order of the Emperor of China, Qin Sha Huang.
It is believed that this wonderful and ostentatious work of art dates from the year 210 BC That is, we would be talking about a set of sculptures that has been preserved in almost perfect condition for more than two thousand years. Amazing, right?
On the other hand, you should know that Xian is the capital of Shaanxi province, in the heart of China. A place that had great importance for centuries, as it was the eastern end of the so-called Silk Road.
Curiosities of the Terracotta Warriors
Now that we know what they are and where they are, we are going to know those curiosities of the Terracotta Warriors. Some will surprise you.
How many?
Those that remain standing, it is believed that around eight thousand, are not even half of those that the emperor ordered to be buried. In any case, the works on site continue to bring these fabulous figures to light.
It was discovered in 1979, although some of the figures were found during the excavation of a well in 1974. However, it took until 1987 for Unesco to declare it a World Heritage Site.
Why were they buried?
The emperor believed that when he left this world, he should have troops under his command in the afterlife. An entire army that could defend him and save him from any danger. A mystery like so many others that surround Chinese culture.
What are the warriors like?
The figures are made in life size. They have a standard measurement of 1.80 meters and wear armor. But one of the greatest curiosities of the Terracotta Warriors is that no two are alike.
Everyone is different. They have different hairstyles, beards, mustaches, and even facial expressions. Some younger and some older, but all of them were molded in a masterful way. They look real.
How were they made?
It seems that the heads and hands were made first to be added to the bodies later. After this, uniforms and armor were added, as well as the weapons that each one had, that is, spears, bows or swords.
The color
Although they look uniform in color, this is due to oxidation caused by air. Actually, they were painted in very vivid colors. Although an attempt has been made to recover these original colors, after a few hours the oxidation appears again.
A new discovery
What would be good warriors without their horse chariots? Well, at least two chariots made of bronze have been found. Each of them has four horses and is made up of about three thousand pieces.
What they teach
As we said, there were warriors young and old. The youngest, the ones without beards, could represent young people around 17 years of age. This shows that minors were recruited to fight in wars and, because of their energy, were placed in the front lines of battle.
How to get
They are located in the Emperor’s Mausoleum, about thirty kilometers east of the city of Xian. A treasure that you should not miss on your visit to China. You will be surprised, since the mausoleum is a work that took about 38 years to build.
It is estimated that some seven hundred thousand workers worked in the creation of this spectacular mausoleum. Keep in mind that each of the figures could take a month of work. A wonder that remained two thousand years buried and forgotten.
We are sure that all these curiosities of the Terracotta Warriors have been a discovery for you, right? This is one of those treasures that you have to visit once in your life.
