Terra Cotta Warriors

I've read that The Terra Cotta Warriors are the most significant archeological excavation of the 20th century. In 1974, some farmers, just outside of Xi'an, were digging a well not far from the tomb of the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (he ascended the throne in 246 BCE). The farmers uncovered some pottery that caught the attention of archeologists, who came to the area in large numbers to continue the dig. Over time, they dug three pits and found approximately 8,000 life sized terra cotta warriors and horses and 10,000 bronze weapons, all associated with the Qin Dynasty. The Museum of the Terra Cotta Army is remarkable, and it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I've also read that to come to China without seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors is a little like going to Egypt and skipping the pyramids. The site topped my list of things I wanted to see here in Xi'an, and today was the day. There are three pits, each in its own building, and they are truly remarkable. Pit One is the most stunning. This is definitely a case where pictures say it best. Here are some shots from Pit One.


















Of course, lots of repair work is necessary to get this army standing again. Here are some shots of that, as well as some headless warriors from Pit Two.


















After we toured all three pits, we boarded a bus to go to The Emperor's mausoleum. This area is like an enormous park. Lots of grass and gardens. The mausoleum itself is a grassy hill. See it behind that row of trees?






When we got there, there was a live show being staged, with dancers wearing traditional clothing from the Qin Dynasty. Here are some shots of that.


















As some of you know, I'm a garden lover, and there were some lovely ones here.






I am so happy to have seen this remarkable site. I can remember in the fall, I sat in on a world history class taught by my friend, John. He talked a lot about the Qin Dynasty and the Terra Cotta Warriors. I was fascinated, but it didn't seem real to me that I was going to see it. Today, it was very real. Here are a couple of shots of me and my friend and guide for the day.












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