When will the tomb of the first emperor of China be excavated? Terracotta Army in China - the secrets of the world. Unknown, inexplicable. History of the Terracotta Army

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The Terracotta Army is a discovery that shocked the world Our land is full ancient mysteries and secrets. Every people and every country has a history whose roots go far into the past. A good example is China. China is such an ancient country that it rich story begins many centuries BC. And every archaeological excavations

there they lead to discoveries that stun the imagination of mankind. One of these finds was the Terracotta Army. Terracotta Army

named one of the wonders of the world. It was awarded to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And US President Ronald Reagan said about her: “A great miracle that belonged to humanity.” No one had seen such beauty, such strength and power underground before.
there they lead to discoveries that stun the imagination of mankind. One of these finds was the Terracotta Army. This historical heritage is located in the city of Xi'an, Shenxi Province, located in eastern China.

- This is the burial place of 8099 statues of warriors made of clay. The peculiarity is that all these products are made in full human height. Chinese warriors with cavalry were buried in 210 - 209 BC with Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

How was the Terracotta Army found?
For centuries, residents of Xi'an constantly found pieces of clay - shards. They were afraid to pick them up, because they believed that a curse might follow. The Chinese then did not even suspect that under their feet, just a few meters underground, there was a whole layer of historical heritage.

Archaeological excavations began in 1978 and are still ongoing. The work is progressing very slowly. Firstly, in order not to damage the figures, and secondly, due to the lack of government funding. The third reason is the ancient belief that rivers of mercury must accompany the emperor to the other world, and in order not to harm the residents of nearby areas and the scientists themselves, everything has to be carefully and thoroughly checked. So we can safely say that many more secrets lie underground at the foot of Mount Lishan.

Excavations of the clay army have been going on for 40 years. During this time, a whole city grew up on the site of the discovery. Many pavilions protect the army from rain and wind, which can immediately destroy shaky clay statues. Also, security guards and scientists are constantly on duty to protect the heritage from vandals.
Archaeological expeditions are divided into several stages. The first stage was from 1978 to 1984, the next stage lasted from 1985 to 1986, and the third stage, which began in 2009, continues to this day.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang ruled from 246 to 210 BC, and was one of the most cruel and bloody rulers. Qin Shi Huang is the most significant person in Chinese history, and not only because he is the founder of the great Qin dynasty. Great commander was able to unite the 7 kingdoms of China, which fought a brutal war for many decades. Mass destruction and the killings, high mortality rates, chaos and looting ended when the brutal conqueror Qin Shi Huang came to power. The Warring States Period, which lasted 250 years, is over. For the first time, the title of “emperor” was proclaimed, which elevated it to the level of God. China became a unified state, and its power had no equal.

Another significant imprint in history that the first emperor left was the completion of construction and strengthening of the Great Wall of China. The narcissistic emperor declared the entire previous history of China irrelevant, and destroyed everything historical monuments, literature, scientists. Thus, destroying all history before the Qin Dynasty.

This historical period is famous for the fact that people firmly believed in afterlife. They built tombs, mausoleums, crypts, pyramids and tombs, buried their entire family, servants and army alive, filled their tombs with gold, wealth and decorations. In general, they did everything to ensure a decent afterlife. One of the richest emperors, Qin Shi Huang, was no exception.
From the moment he ascended the throne, or rather from 246, when the emperor was 13 years old, he actively began the construction of his tomb. Initially, to match his ambitions, Qin Shi Huang planned to bury 4,000 warriors alive with him. But due to the fact that over the past 250 years of brutal wars, the population of China has declined catastrophically, it would not be reasonable to bury such a number of young people thirsty for life. Moreover, there would be a danger of a big riot.
Then, for the first time in history, the Chinese ruler came up with the idea of ​​​​replacing living people with clay statues.

Construction of the tomb lasted 38 years, with the efforts of 700,000 workers. They worked on the construction of the mausoleum day and night. The construction of the tomb with the tombs and all the adjacent compartments in the perimeter takes 6 kilometers. The territory occupied by the famous Terracotta Army is 1.5 kilometers.
Along with the army, 70,000 workers were buried with all their families, as scientists think, so that no one would know the secret of the clay army. Also, 48 concubines were buried alive with the great commander. But don't be upset about them. In those days, people were happy to be buried with their owners, and it was considered a great honor.
The Terracotta Army includes more than 8,000 warriors, but this is far from the limit, since excavations are still ongoing, and their number is increasing every decade.

Each statue of a Chinese warrior is approximately 2 meters tall, which once again speaks of the emperor’s desire to exalt himself, and weighs about 150 kilograms. Horses weigh 200 - 300 kilograms.
Also found in the tomb were chariots that amaze with their wealth and luxury. Each bronze chariot consists of more than 300 parts, is decorated with gold and silver and is drawn by four horses.

The clay warriors were deployed to the east, and they stand on the eastern side of the Qin mausoleum, and all because it was on the eastern side that the emperor indulged in the most brutal conquests.
The warriors are located in three rows, clearly one after another. They stand as if they are ready to start a fight at any moment. The fighters of the Terracotta Army are lined up in battle order, infantrymen come first, followed by horsemen, archers, and commander officers. Statues of musicians, officials, and acrobats were discovered next to them.
All warriors have different shapes, different faces, uniforms. The work was done so delicately and exquisitely that even after 2 thousand years, we can see that each statue has its own facial expression. There is not a single warrior who is exactly like another. Among the terracotta soldiers you can easily see the entire multinationality of China. The Terracotta Army includes the Chinese, Tibetans, Uighurs, Mongols and so on.
The soldiers are dressed exactly according to the laws of that time. Clothing, hairstyle, mustache or beard, uniform, armor are made with incredible precision. Even on the sole of the shoe you can see a corresponding pattern. Each terracotta soldier was equipped with real weapons. It was believed that warriors were made from life, and after death the soul of the warrior moved into a clay statue.

How exactly the Terracotta Army warriors were made still remains a mystery. One thing is clear, all the work is done by hand. The masters used absolutely different techniques. Some scientists believe that all parts of the body were made separately, then connected, a face was made from an additional layer of clay on the head, and the whole creation was sent to the oven for several days. But where did the Chinese of the first and second centuries BC get so many stoves? After the work was done, the warrior was painted. But unfortunately, over 2 thousand years underground, the paint has worn off. And those sculptures on which remains of paint were still found, as soon as they were on fresh air how the entire coating was peeling off.

Material for the soldiers was taken from Mount Lishan. However, from the pollen on the statues, modern scientists were able to determine that the statues were made in different regions of China.
From above, the army was protected by entire tree trunks, zinc, cement and earth.
Unfortunately, the Terracotta Army was defeated very quickly. Immediately after the death of Qin Shi Huang, the inept rule of his successor gave rise to a rebellion. The people of China needed weapons. Having broken into the army's crypt, they burned some of the soldiers and replaced all real weapons with bronze ones.
I wonder what kind of long period underground, the bronze weapon did not become dull or lose its shine, and all because it was covered with chrome. This technique was developed only in the 20th century.
We can safely say that the Terracotta Army performed the functions of guarding its master efficiently. Many dead vandals and robbers were found on army territory; it is not known exactly how they died there.

The great emperor built an entire city of the dead around his crypt. The beauty of the burial complex is not inferior to the real imperial palace. Many burials of people and animals alive, luxurious decorations, untold riches, all this was transferred to the earth along with the emperor. But, unfortunately, these complexes have not survived to this day.
Modern scientists suggest that this terracotta army, a plundered tomb, is only a dummy of the real tomb of the emperor. Qin Shi Huang was very cunning. And according to legend, together with the great commander they put such riches into the ground that even our imagination cannot draw. There is a possibility that the real complex has not even been found yet.

Yes, the earth is full of secrets. And perhaps one day we will find the real mausoleum of the emperor, and the terracotta army will turn out to be artifacts to divert attention. Nevertheless, the Terracotta Army is a heritage of humanity, a rich heritage that our ancestors left us.
Historians believe that two hundred years will not be enough for the complete discovery of the emperor’s tomb in Xi’an.

East of the city of Xi'an, in the province of Shaanxi, there is a military garrison of thousands, this wonder of the world, known as - Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Underground burials number at least 8099 terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses. They were given the honor of being buried along with the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huang in 210-209. BC

In the Xi'an area, Chinese farmers had long found clay shards, but they were afraid to touch them, much less pick them up, because they believed that the strange shards were magical amulets - the source of various troubles. But already in 1974 everything was explained.

History of the Terracotta Army

One day, the farmer Yan Ji Wang began to dig a well on his plot of land. He didn't find water, but he did find something else. Yan Ji Wan came across the figure of an ancient warrior at a depth of 5 meters. The farmer's discovery shocked archaeologists. and subsequent excavations showed that she was not alone here. Several thousand warriors have been discovered by scientists. Terracotta soldiers have been buried in the ground for over 2,000 years since the death of the famous unifier of China - Qin Shi Huang.

Mount Lishan is a man-made Chinese necropolis. Material for terracotta

East of the city of Xi'an, in the province of Shaanxi, there is a military garrison of many thousands, this is a wonder of the world, known as the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The underground burials contain at least 8,099 terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses.

the soldiers were taken here. Construction of the Terracotta Army began in 247 BC. e., more than 700,000 artisans and workers took part in their construction, and it was completed, as art historians suggest, for 38 years. Qin Shi Huang was interred in 201 BC. e. According to the assumption of the Chinese historian Sima Qianyu, jewelry and handicrafts were also buried with him.

The horses and warriors of the Terracotta Army in China were created in different areas. Scientists have found out: the horses were made near Mount Lishan, most likely to facilitate their transportation (the weight of a horse is approximately 200 kg), the figures of the warriors are much lighter, about 135 kg, but the place of their creation is still unknown.

Later, on the site of the grand discovery, a city arose. Three pavilions protect the terracotta funerary army from weather and vandalism. Excavations of the terracotta horde have been going on for about 40 years, but their end is not in sight.

Terracotta is yellow or red clay that has been fired at a constant temperature of at least 1000 degrees for several days.

Yang Ji Wan found the first, main battle row of Qin Shi Huang, which contains approximately 6,000 terracotta figures. In 1980, archaeologists excavated a second column of 2,000 statues. Later, in 1994, the General Staff was discovered - a collection of senior military commanders.

About 700,000 craftsmen were involved in the creation of the imperial army. But why did the ancient Chinese need to spend effort and money creating this grandiose composition? And what other secrets does the land of this area keep?

The protracted, bloody period of the seven rival kingdoms ended with the unconditional victory of the Qin dynasty. The young and ambitious ruler Yin Zhen subjugated all the kingdoms one after another. Their capitals Zhao, Han, Wei, Yin, Chun and Qi were razed to the ground. For the first time in history, China achieved unity. Qin Shi Huang appointed himself emperor and immediately moved to reform and consolidate power. He took up the matter with the sophistication and scope characteristic of a tyrant.

His goal was to destroy any possibility of China's fragmentation and civil strife in the future. The Chinese Empire was divided into 36 districts, and two governors were appointed per district (civilian and military). The emperor tightened all standards: this concerned money, measures of length and weight, writing, construction, and even the width of the axle for carts. The standards established in the Qin kingdom served as a model.

The previous history of China was declared irrelevant. In 213 BC. the books and ancient chronicles of the defeated dynasties were burned. More than 460 scientists who were suspected of disloyalty to the new imperial regime were executed.

The Emperor believed that his dynasty would rule the Empire forever and therefore tried to create attributes befitting eternity. One of the results of the imperial thought about the eternal was the Great Wall of China.

Initially, the ruler wanted to bury 4 thousand young warriors with him, because this is what ancient Chinese tradition says, but his advisors managed to convince him not to do this. This barbaric act would inevitably lead to rebellion.

Then they decided to bury clay statues instead of people. But to be on the safe side, their number was increased. Their gaze was turned to the east, where all the kingdoms that suffered from the great tyrant were located.

The terracotta warriors were made with great jewelry, and their creators probably took amazing care. It is impossible to find identical faces in the entire retinue, because they simply do not exist. They reflect the multinationality of the Chinese empire, among them you can see not only the Chinese, but also Mongols, Uyghurs, Tibetans and many others. Details of clothing and hairstyles correspond to their time. The armor and shoes are reproduced with incredible precision.

The only difference from real people in their growth. Their height is 1.90 - 1.95 meters. Divine Qin's army could not be this tall. The finished sculpture was fired in kilns with a firing temperature of 1,000 degrees. Afterwards, the artists painted them with natural colors. Slightly faded colors can still be seen today. However, after a few minutes spent in the air, the colors disappear.

The eleven passages of the main row of warriors are separated by walls. Whole tree trunks were placed on top, covered with mats and 30 cm of cement, and another 3 m of earth on top. This was done in order to protect the deceased emperor among the living.

But alas, the calculations could not live up to their expectations; a few years later this mighty terracotta army was defeated.

Qin Shihuangding died and his son, the weak-willed and weak Er Shihuangding, became the ruler of the empire. His inability to manage caused a storm of indignation among people. The revolt of the people, which the advisers feared, nevertheless occurred and there was no one to suppress it. The first defeat went to the Terracotta Army.

The indignant crowd plundered and burned the army, because the rebels had nowhere to get weapons. Its surplus was melted down and destroyed by Qin Shi Huang in order to avoid various incidents. Here, underground, there were 8,000 sets of bows, shields, spears and swords. The main goal They were the ones who rebelled. Government troops were defeated. The son of the great emperor was killed by his own courtiers.

For many centuries, robbers have been eager to dig up treasures; for some, it cost them their lives. Amazingly, the terracotta soldiers preserved the spirit of their ruler as best they could. They say that human skeletons were also found among the excavations. Ancient manuscripts say that colossal treasures were buried with the divine Qin, including the golden throne.

Qin Shi Huang knew how to create intrigue with his riddles. And one of the versions suggests that he is buried in another place, and this is just decoration. And if this is so, then the scale of the true burial can only be imagined in fantasy.

While removing the figures from the ground, archaeologists were puzzled by the problem - the paint dried instantly (5 minutes) and burst. And a solution was found - after various treatments (immersion in a container with a humid microclimate, coating with a special composition and irradiation), the warriors are exhibited in museums around the world; about 1,500 statues have now been removed. There is a museum directly at the discovery site; the first exhibition opened in 1979, but it appeared in all its glory in 1994.

Along with the Great Wall of China and the Shaolin Monastery, the Terracotta Army in China is on the list of the most famous landmarks around the world. If you are lucky enough to travel around Asia, and specifically in China , then be sure to check out the Xi'an Terracotta Army Museum.

The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was included in the list of objects in 1987 World Heritage UNESCO in China.

The complex of the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang - the first emperor of the Qin dynasty - was built at the foot of Lishan Mountain, more than 20 km from Xi'an in Shaanxi Province. The tomb was built for the “emperor who is bestowed by Heaven once every millennium,” and, like Qin Shihuang himself, it amazes with its uniqueness and is an outstanding monument of world cultural heritage.

In 221 BC. Qin Shihuang (259-210 BC) at the age of 39 created the first centralized state in Chinese history and founded the Qin dynasty. The feudal system of centralized power he created was inherited by all subsequent Chinese dynasties.

During the reign of Qin Shihuang, Chinese writing, the monetary system, and the system of weights and measures were unified, construction of the Great Wall began, and a unified network of government roads was created, which had a huge impact on the development of China during subsequent dynasties.

Wanting to remain in history forever, Qin Shihuang ordered the construction of a grandiose tomb for himself, unparalleled in the world in scale and splendor. As he conquered and annexed more and more territories of China, work on the tomb expanded, and soon acquired unprecedented proportions. According to the chronicles, the perimeter of the outer wall of the burial was 6 km; real treasures were hidden inside: skillfully processed precious stones, gold and silver presented a picture of a magical garden where rivers and seas of mercury flowed.

During archaeological research, it was found that the tomb complex in plan is a square with a side of 7.5 km with a total area of ​​56.25 sq. km.

The bulk burial mound was originally surrounded by earthen internal and external walls, representing a rectangle in plan. The perimeter of the “inner city” reaches 3870 m, and the “external” one - 6321 m. Currently, all that remains of the earthen walls is the underground foundation and here and there fragments of wall masonry.

On the territory of the “inner city” there was a palace-bedchamber and a side hall. Qin Shihuang was the first of the ancient rulers of China who ordered the construction of a palace-bedchamber at his tomb. Subsequently, other Chinese emperors followed his example. The bedchamber is the main hall of the tomb, where the spirit of Emperor Qin Shihuang prayed and rested. The side extension served as his resting place and refectory. Interior decoration repeated the luxury of the halls of the imperial palace, which Qin Shihuang used during his lifetime. These structures have not survived to this day.

The domineering and powerful Qin Shihuang could not come to terms with loneliness and oblivion after his death. On the territory of his grandiose tomb, more than 600 burials and crypts have now been opened for funerary objects and human victims buried at the same time as the deceased emperor.

In one crypt, two bronze chariots with horse harnesses were discovered. According to archaeologists, they are an exact copy of the palace chariots of Emperor Qin Shihuang.

Two burials were found in which several hundred real horses were buried. These burials give an idea of ​​the scale of the imperial stables.

17 crypts were also opened, in which the remains of strange birds and animals rested. Most likely, the crypts served as imitation of hunting grounds located near the imperial palace.

In one of the crypts for funerary objects - the largest discovered here to date - scientists discovered stone shields and helmets. Apparently, this crypt served as an arsenal in the afterlife palace of the emperor.

In another crypt for funerary figures, terracotta statues of acrobats performing various tricks were found. Perhaps, already in ancient times, the performances of circus performers were one of the amusements of the imperial persons.

On the territory of the Qin Shihuang tomb complex, three grandiose crypts were found in which a terracotta army and military cavalry were buried, recreating in detail the real army, equipped according to all the rules of the Qin Empire.

Several burials of human sacrifices to the deceased emperor were also discovered. As mentioned in the chronicles, in 384. BC. in the kingdom of Qin, the ritual of burying subjects along with the deceased emperor was abolished, but an exception was made for Qin Shihuang. All the concubines who did not conceive a child from him, by order, followed him to the “afterlife.” In addition, so that not a single soul would learn the secret about the tomb, several thousand of its builders were walled up alive in the crypts. Among such crypts, 17 stand out: unusual shape coffins, funerary objects and the burial ceremony itself indicate that important people are buried here. Based on the remains found in the crypts, one can judge the sad fate of the buried. They may have been princes and princesses who fell victim to political palace intrigues at the end of Qin Shi Huang's reign.

The central structure of the Qin Shihuang tomb complex is the Underground Palace, hidden under a mound and remaining unexcavated to this day.

As mentioned in the historical annals, the Underground Palace is distinguished by its grandiose dimensions. The ceiling is an astronomical atlas, inlaid precious stones. On the floor is a map of rivers, lakes and seas, simulated using ever-moving mercury. There is a model in the Underground Palace geographical relief China; the hall of imperial receptions of high military and civil ranks; treasures from the palace collection of the Qin Empire; “eternal” lamps, the fire in which was maintained by burning fish oil; The entrance to the palace was guarded by crossbows, designed to protect the “peace of the dead” from “unexpected visits” of the living.

In the 80s XX century Scientists examined soil samples from a section of the hill directly above the Underground Palace. The analysis showed that in the center of the hill, there is indeed a zone of approximately 12 thousand square meters with an unusually high mercury content. It seems that the discovery of scientists confirms the veracity of historical chronicles about the existence of a “mercury river.”

Many scholars believe that the tomb complex was built like a city and embodies the concept of the continuation of the emperor’s life after death, that the underground kingdom is a repetition of the kingdom on earth.

Construction of the Qin Shihuang tomb complex lasted from 246. BC. up to 208 BC e. Construction began when Qin Shihuang was only 13 years old and had just taken the throne of the Qin kingdom. The tomb complex took 39 years to construct with the labor of an incredible number of people. It is known that at one stage of construction the number of workers reached 700 thousand people, and this at a time when the total population of the Qin kingdom was only 20 million people!

(photo) The complex of Qin Shihuang's tomb became most famous after the excavations of the terracotta army and war cavalry. Funerary statues of warriors and horses, which had lain in the ground for more than 2000 years, were accidentally discovered in March 1974. peasants while digging a well. The statues of warriors and war horses are buried in three colossal crypts, numbered in the order of their discovery as v"-1, v"-2 and v"-3. The depth of each crypt is 5 m. Every 3 m the crypt is divided by a load-bearing wall. The floor is paved. with black brick, to date, only part of the statues of warriors and horses buried here have been excavated.

Among the three open crypts, v1 is the largest: from east to west its length is 230 m, from south to north - 62 m, total area- about 14 thousand sq.m. To date, more than 1,000 terracotta statues of warriors, horses and chariots have been recovered from the crypt. According to conjectural estimates, taking into account the density of the rows of already discovered figures total number statues should exceed 6000. Terracotta warriors froze in order of battle rectangle, most of the figures are infantrymen. The terracotta warriors of the leading detachment hold bows or crossbows in their hands, and on their backs there is a quiver of arrows. The lead detachment is followed by infantrymen covered with shields and war chariots. Side detachments took up positions on the right and left flanks. Three rows of rearguard close the formation of the terracotta army. Looking at the orderly battle formation of the statues of warriors, horses and chariots, it seems that they are about to rush into battle.

Crypt B"-2 was discovered in April 1976. Its area is about 6,000 sq.m. Upon completion of the excavations, it is expected to extract 470 terracotta statues of war horses, more than 900 terracotta statues of warriors, more than 80 wooden war chariots and many samples of metal weapons. In In the crypt in "-2, figures of soldiers of different branches of the military are buried. In addition to the statues of charioteers and horsemen, there are also figures of crossbowmen.

Crypt c "-3 was discovered in May 1976. Its area is 520 sq.m. Only one war chariot and 64 statues of warriors were found in it. According to most archaeologists, the formation of the rows and their weapons, as well as the location of the crypt relative to the Qin tomb Shihuana indicate that this is an imitation of the command headquarters of the terracotta army.

According to preliminary estimates, upon completion of the excavations of all three crypts, it will be possible to extract more than 7,000 terracotta statues of warriors, more than 600 terracotta statues of horses, more than a hundred war chariots, and several hundred thousand weapons. The statues of warriors and horses are made in full height, the height of the warrior statues ranges from 1.7 to 2 m, which is on average about 1.8 m. Each figure is unique. The warriors differ from each other in appearance, pose, facial expression, as if each statue was sculpted from life. The warrior statues are characterized by fine details. Everything from the figure to the hairstyle, to the last hair, lacing of clothes and even the stitch on the sole of a fabric slipper is worked out with the utmost care. The height of horse statues usually reaches 1.5 m, the length of the body is 2 m.

Technology for making statues of warriors and horses in general outline is as follows: first, a blank of a statue was sculpted from clay, then it was covered with a new layer of clay, details were worked out and fine engraving was applied, then the wind-dried statue was fired in an oven, after which painting was applied to the baked clay. Unfortunately, due to fires, dampness and other influences of nature, many statues of warriors and horses were broken into pieces, and the paint was peeling off. The statues of warriors and war horses, as they are removed from the crypt, immediately go for restoration, after which they go on display in the museum.

In the crypts, where statues of warriors and war horses were discovered, about 10 thousand samples of weapons, mainly bronze and tin, were also found. The weapon, which had lain in the crypt for thousands of years, sparkled like new; there was not even a trace of rust. Analysis showed that the surface of the weapon was covered with a thick layer of chromium oxide. The chrome plating technology was patented by Germany in 1937, and by the USA in 1950. Unfortunately, there are no mentions of chrome plating technology during the Qin Dynasty in the historical annals, so nothing can be said today.

So far, only a small fraction of the statues of warriors and war horses that make up part of the Qin Shi Huang tomb complex have been discovered, but this find is already being regarded as a miracle. Archaeologists say: the Qin Shihuang tomb complex is too grandiose to reveal all its secrets. If you work in the traditional way, then it will take at least 200 years to excavate the entire complex. It is still unknown how many more miracles the tomb of Qin Shi Huang hides, and how long the sleep of the mysterious Underground Palace will remain undisturbed.

In 1987 The Qin Shihuang tomb complex was included by UNESCO in the Register of World Cultural Heritage Sites.

Pottery and bronze items were discovered in the “Underground Palace” of the ancient Chinese emperor Qin Shihuang, 15 pottery funeral figurines and 27 bronze figurines of swans, wild geese and cranes were recently discovered in the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor in Chinese history.

Scientists found these relics in one of the caches dug specifically for funerary objects. Scientists believe that these cultural monuments have important for the study of antiquity.

According to a representative of the archaeological team, 13 large bronze figures of birds were previously found here. In particular, two of them, resembling cranes in appearance, were installed on pedestals in the shape of clouds. This, according to scientists, speaks of the emperor’s secret desire to become a celestial after death. According to Chinese myths, when a person dies, cranes - symbols of longevity - carry him to heaven, to paradise, where he becomes a celestial being.

Qin Shihuang was born in 259 BC. and died in 210 BC. e. The chronicles mention that, as emperor, he carried out large-scale agricultural, financial and military reform. During his reign, measures of length, weights, monetary units and Chinese hieroglyphic writing. To protect the northern borders of the empire from raids by nomads, the construction of the Great Wall of China began. Qin Shihuang's tomb was accidentally discovered in 1974. In an underground burial, archaeologists saw the “terracotta army of Qin Shihuang” - 6 thousand life-size figures of warriors and war horses frozen in the march. This underground palace can rightfully be called the “8th wonder of the world.”

The founder of the Qin dynasty, who completed the construction of the Great Wall of China, prepared for death ahead of time: he built a huge tomb for himself, and several “smaller” crypts for servants and warriors. 70 thousand workers were buried with the emperor, along with their families. But the emperor did not kill the soldiers. Instead, he commissioned artisans to create an army of terracotta, each warrior based on a real person.

Despite the fact that Chinese historians are very careful about their cultural heritage, the Terracotta Army was somehow forgotten. Its discovery turned out to be an accident - in the summer of 1974, in the province of Shaanxi, while digging a well, at a depth of 5 meters, a Chinese peasant came across one of the clay warriors. The find immediately aroused unprecedented interest among archaeologists because appearance The statue made it possible to attribute the date of its creation to the period of extreme antiquity. By the beginning of autumn of the same year, archaeologists had discovered about 6 thousand such warriors. The analysis showed that the time of creation of the statues coincides with the years of the life of Qin Shi Huang, whose tomb, Mount Lishan, was located near the “burial site” of the terracotta warriors.

The work of Sima Qian, a hereditary historiographer of the Han Dynasty, who described the ascension to the throne in 246 BC, also helped to correlate the clay army with the founder of the Qin dynasty. e. 13-year-old Ying Zheng, known to us as Qin Shi Huang. According to the historiographer, the young ruler immediately began construction of his own tomb and ordered the creation of an army of clay warriors who would serve him after death.

All statues are copies of real people, preserving their facial features, uniform features, ranks, etc. The only thing that the sculptors changed was the height of the warriors, making them slightly taller real prototypes. The height of the statues of ordinary soldiers is approximately 180 cm, and of officers - up to 2 m, which expresses their superiority in rank. Archers, spearmen, swordsmen and even cavalry - Qin Shi Huang assembled a full-fledged army that completely copied real-life military formations. Commanders of all ranks, even generals, also followed their emperor to the “other world”, in the form of clay sculptures. “Civilian” statues were also found - musicians, acrobats and officials.

The vast majority of the statues faced east. Some stand relaxed, others kneel and, drawing their swords from their sheaths, repel the attack. Differences in status can be determined by clothing. The officers wear tunics with belts and uniform-like suits. Ordinary soldiers are dressed in short, tapered trousers, short robes, and breastplates. Their footwear is common to the ancient Chinese: windings and shoes with square toes. Even the rank and file have a characteristic hairstyle in the form of a tight bun of hair.

The main excavations were carried out in two stages: from 1978 to 1984 and from 1985 to 1986. And in 2009, the third stage of excavations began, which continues to this day. Recent excavations have revealed another 500 clay warriors, 100 horses and 18 bronze chariots. How much remains to be discovered is a question that remains unanswered. But why did the emperor’s tomb end up in such a deplorable state?

After the death of Qin Shi Huang, the throne was inherited by his son, Er Shi Huang, who was weak-willed and weak. As a result of his failure as a leader, a popular uprising broke out. And the first target of the rebels was the Terracotta Army. The reason for this was that the cunning Ying Zheng melted down all the surplus weapons, so simple people they couldn't get it anywhere. And in the crypt, for the needs of clay warriors, an arsenal was kept for 8,000 people: swords, shields, spears and bows. As a result, the tomb was plundered, the imperial troops were defeated, and Er was killed. But no one found the emperor’s treasures, which according to legend were buried with him. According to one version, the emperor was generally buried in a different place, and Mount Lishan is just scenery.

UNESCO listed the Terracotta Army as a World Heritage Site in China in 1987. Today, everyone has the opportunity to look at the terracotta warriors “live”. Around the excavation area grew small town with cafes, souvenir shops and covered pavilions, where the terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is put on public display.