Archaeology and Discovery of the Terracotta Army
Throughout antiquity, archaeologists have discovered and revealed many fossils, features and artefacts that have significant antiquity and importance. One of the famous archaeological discoveries is the handcrafted clay soldiers buried with the first Chinese emperor around his tomb, along with other items of his riches. The sovereign, Qin Shi Huang, buried the army to take his accomplishments and inheritance with him and defend himself in the afterlife. Therefore, in this essay, I will talk about how the soldiers were found, the time they were found, the place they were found and their importance in archaeology.
1974 Excavation and Initial Findings
The Terracotta Army was discovered by a group of local farmers from China in March 1974 who accidentally dug up a couple of the soldiers along with a few smaller weapons while excavating a well. After unearthing the life-sized clay soldiers, the farmers later informed the government officials. After the officials had been notified, the archaeologists were permitted to start digging the enormous site containing over 9,000 soldiers. Every soldier was exclusively handcrafted to appear different from any other soldier in the army; every soldier had distinctive hair, positions, heights, and facial expressions that would help to resemble their ranks within the army. The soldiers seem grey; however, their sculptures’ patterns indicate colours and boundless details put into each clay soldier during their construction. Additionally, the archaeologists discovered clay horses, smaller artefacts and chariots (Quinn et al., 2017). The Chinese administration built a museum to allow the archaeologists to preserve this antiquity around the multiple wells of the soldiers. The Terracotta Army archaeologists agreed that the Terracotta Army was created between 210 BC and 249 BC, making it about 2,200 years old. The archaeologists used the thermoluminescence dating technique to date the Terracotta Army. This technique is most favourable or suitable for ceramics as it helps in calculating the firing date of the ceramic piece being evaluated. Thermoluminescence works by comparing the dose of thermoluminescence energy and TL of the object. The firing of ceramics may lead to loss of the thermoluminescence energy, but it may reaccumulate after a certain period. Thus, the age of the ceramics would be determined by taking the accrued dose of the TL energy and calculating its accumulation rate yearly, thus helping to determine the age.
Cultural Meaning of the Burial Complex
Through the burial of the Terracotta Army, the archaeologists got ideas about the culture around the period when it was constructed and how it affected recent Chinese culture. The burial signified that at the time of Qin Shi Huangdi’s supremacy, China was tolerant of war and aggressive techniques for achieving superiority. Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was willing to make any sacrifice that would be beneficial in building an empire. Most of the Chinese had perished during the brutal war to enlarge the empire and feared his just deserts in the afterlife. Thus, this clearly explains why terracotta soldiers are positioned on the eastern side of his ossuary. Qin was from the West, and he conquered the kingdom in the East; the military would hinder people from seeking revenge and give a better understanding of the technology and costume during the construction. The numerous investigations into what was to be appreciated as part of archaeology are significant as they allow a body of insight to build up toward comprehending the ornament, costumes, and the whole organization and human culture.
Construction of Qin’s Tomb and Imperial Symbolism
The labourers constructed the tombs of bronze, with their ground being the map of China and the rivers of mercury where Qin would live forever (Bevan et al., 2018). The workers constructed the tomb until the death of the emperor in 209 BC. The automatic installation of the scale model triggered weapons in the mausoleum, intending to safeguard the resources and ward off tomb thieves. Most of the workers working on the ossuary when the ruler died were buried alive with Qin to assist him in the afterlife. The combatants were created by the 700,000 workers of Qin Shi Huangdi to prepare him for his journey into the afterlife.
Media Representation and Cultural Perception
The evolution of new culture not only affected visual recognition but also affected people’s perceptions subconsciously. The project of the Terracotta Army replicates and signifies the antique development of the Qin dynasty. The clothing of the terracotta warriors is a sign of the prosperity of a cohort of dynasties and a representation of the control of the ancient emperor. It helps people to remember its great significance (Afshari, 2019). Like other Qin Dynasty arts, the art of the Terracotta Army is a culmination of thousands of years of Chinese artistic experience dating back to the Neolithic period. Under the unified feudal autocracy, this experience was fully developed and improved, sublimated into the unprecedented group art of pottery sculpture, transforming the art of army sculptures into realistic and plastic art.
Conclusion on Archaeological Significance
Generally, the Terracotta Army is a big historical and archaeological unearthing that gives a better comprehension of Chinese culture around the period of Huangdi’s control. The soldiers and weapons remain in pristine condition regardless of their age. The Terracotta Army still exists in its original burial place, even though a museum was built near it. Most of the soldiers stay at the museum, and a few are sent off to be observed in various locations around the globe; thus, most people find this unique artefact attractive.
References
Quinn, P. S., Zhang, S., Xia, Y., & Li, X. (2017). Building the Terracotta Army: ceramic craft technology and organization of production at Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum complex. antiquity, 91(358), 966-979.
Bevan, A., Li, X., Zhao, Z., Huang, J., Laidlaw, S., Xi, N., … & Martinon-Torres, M. (2018). Ink marks, bronze crossbows and their implications for the Qin Terracotta Army. Heritage Science, 6(1), 1-10.
Afshari, R. (2019). Mercury poisoning, Emperor Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army. BC Toxicol News Month Bullet, 1, 424-428.
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