China Institute Awesome Program on Terra Cotta Warriors

Terracotta Warriors Defenders of China's First Emperor

The Exhibition

Discovery Times Square and China Institute present an evening of special lectures featuring prominent scholars from China discussing one of the world's greatest archaeological discoveries, China's Terracotta Warriors.

The evening's presentations will include:

Tian Jing (田静：秦兵马俑的艺术特色)

Deputy Director, Museum of Emperor Qin Shi's Mausoleum

Artistic Features of the Qin Terracotta Warriors

Zhao Jing (赵静：秦汉帝国交通建设遗产现状)

Deputy Director, Xi'an Centre of Conservation and Restoration

A Study of the Transportation Infrastructures from the Qin and Han Dynasties as Remains of Cultural Heritage

Zhang Zhongli (张仲立：铜车马与秦始皇帝陵陪葬)

Deputy Director, Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology

The Bronze Chariots from Emperor Qin Shi's Tomb Complex

Please join us on this very special evening.

Monday, June 18 at 7:30PM

at Discovery Times Square

226 West 44th Street

This event is FREE to the public. To purchase tickets to the exhibition prior to event, please click here. Presentations will be conducted in Mandarin with English translations displayed. The New York premiere of this exhibition features a collection of over 200 artifacts dating back to 221 BCE, and an up-close look at the authentic, life-sized Terracotta Warriors.

China Institute 125 East 65th Street New York, New York 10065 212-744-8181 www.chinainstitute.org

The Latest on the Qin Terracotta Army

From china.org.cn

Experts: terra cotta army was looted and burned
Shanghai Daily, June 10, 2012

Chinese archaeologists say they have proved that the famous Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) terra cotta army in Xi'an was robbed of its weapons and figures broken and burned.

Xiang Yu, a military leader who overthrew the dynasty, is the prime suspect for the arson and looting, officials from the Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang said yesterday.

"We have found large quantities of red clay and charcoal along with holes for robbing in the major pit of terra cotta warriors," said Shen Maosheng, leader of the archeological team on the No.1 pit.

"These are evidence of arson and looting."

Archaeologists were publicizing the results of the third excavation since 2009 on the pits where thousands of life-sized terra cotta warriors and horses have been uncovered from three pits.

The figures were discovered in 1974 by farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, near the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), the First Emperor who united warring China.

More than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses have been unearthed from the pits covering a total of 14,000 square meters.

The majority of the site is still buried, the museum said.

Caused by burning

Experts reassembling figures discovered some parts were their original blue color, while others were a red color, caused by burning.

This means the figures were firstly broken into pieces and then some parts set on fire, said Shen.

Most original weapons the figures held, such as spears, swords and crossbows, had disappeared, said Cao Wei, deputy curator of the museum.

"Rebel leader Xiang was the person with the power, time and motive to destroy the terra cotta warriors," Shen said.

Xiang hated the First Emperor, so had a motive to destroy the spiritual protectors of his tomb, said Shen.

He also needed weapons in order to fight the army of Qin Dynasty, as they had banned all weapons throughout the country.

The large holes into the pits gave another clue, said Shen.

They could only have been dug by a large group of people - such as Xiang's army, he said.

Footage on the China Central Television yesterday showed archaeologists painstakingly removing soil from figures being unearthed.

Most of the terra cotta figures were broken into pieces that archaeologists have to reassemble.

Experts had long speculated the pits had been destroyed by human intervention, but had never found evidence before.

Dubbed "one of the eight wonders in the world," and the "most splendid archaeological find" of the 20th century, the terra cotta figures are life-sized and vary in height, uniform and hairstyle in accordance with rank.

Colorful Restored Xi'an Terracotta Warrior

More news on those 114 terracotta warriors uncovered in China -- including a questionable photo.

Quoting from a report at Digital Journal:  Xu Weihong, the excavation team leader said:



The total area of the excavation was some 200 square metres and we were pleasantly surprised to find rich colours on terracotta warriors.


He said the clay figures, which are between 1,8 and two metres tall, had black hair, green, white or pink faces and black or brown eyes. Xu said:


It was hard work to restore the clay warriors as they were broken into pieces. It took us at least 10 days to restore one.

Hmmmm, I'm not saying these colors aren't right, but I'm wondering how come the original warriors discovered in 1974 didn't have these colors???  Or did they but the Chinese archaeologists who excavated them were so inexperienced (and/or inept) at the time that they failed in attempts to preserve them???

And, if these newly-discovered 114 terracottas were mostly smashed and partially burned as stated in the reports at Digital Journal and The Independent, how come it only took 10 days to put one back together again?  Fully restored?  Where are the seams?  Where are the "holes" where pieces couldn't be found that fit?  This does not look like any "restoration" I've seen - it's far too "perfect!"  Interesting.

Image - from Digital Journal: This photo shows the colours of the terracotta warriors as reconstructed by experts. Photos of the new finds have not yet been released.  flickr/Shadowfoot [Does this mean it could be a fake?]

Article from The Independent:
114 terracotta warriors discovered in the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang
By Rebecca Thompson
Thursday, 13 May 2010

114 Terracotta Warriors, and several artefacts, have been discovered in the mausoleum of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The warriors were discovered in the largest of the pits, No 1 pit, and retained some of the richly-coloured paint that all of the warriors would have displayed originally.

Photos of the warriors, which are mostly infantrymen, have not yet been released, but the researchers describe them as between 1.8 and 2 metres tall, and brightly coloured. Their eyes and hair colour were naturalistic – most had black hair and either brown or black eyes. Their faces varied between white, pink and green, and archaeologists have noted that the different face colours are matched to different costumes.

Despite retaining their original paint, the warriors were not in a perfect state of preservation – most were broken into pieces. Liu Zhanchang, Director of the Archaeology Division of the Museum of Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses, also revealed that the warriors, and the walls of the museum, showed burn marks.

The mausoleum was ransacked by the people of China after the death of the much-hated emperor, and many warriors were smashed to pieces. It’s possible that these newly-discovered figures could have been damaged in the same way, and that the vandals even attempted to burn the whole pit of warriors. Global Times reports that researchers are considering the possibility that the figures were damaged by General Xiang Yu, who purportedly raided the mausoleum less than five years after the death of the First Emperor.

Fortunately, researchers have been able to restore the broken warriors. [What? All of them??? Just when was this discovery made, and how many "restorers" have been working on this project and for how long?] A number of other relics including weapons, chariots, drums and painted wooden rings were also found during the excavation, as well as a well-preserved box, the purpose of which remains a mystery.

The mausoleum was discovered in the 1970s near Xi’an, in China’s Shaanxi Province, and contains the un-excavated tomb of China’s first emperor. It is thought that the tomb may contain toxic levels of mercury, the substance that the emperor believed would make him immortal, and there are no plans as yet to continue the excavation into the actual tomb. The third excavation project began at the site in June 2009, and has resulted in a number of important finds, including the discovery last year of a number of teenage terracotta soldiers.

More Terracota Warriors Unearthed at Ancient Chinese Tomb Complex

I wonder - just how big is this complex?  Have the Chinese done sonar readings - or, how about using this new technology I blogged bout the other day - lidar - which is set to revolutionize archaeological discoveries and excavations -

From China Daily
114 Terracotta Warriors discovered at museum pit
By Ma Lie (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-12 06:52

XI'AN - A company of Terracotta Warriors - most painted in rich colors - have been unearthed at the largest pit within the mausoleum complex of the emperor who first unified China.

A total of 114 Terracotta Warriors have been found at No 1 pit, one of three, where excavation started in June last year, said Xu Weihong, head of the excavation team.

"The total area of the excavation was some 200 sq m and we were pleasantly surprised to find rich colors on Terracotta Warriors," he said.

Photos of the new find are expected to be released later this month.

The clay warriors, ranging in height from 1.8 m to 2 m, had black hair; green, white or pink faces; and black or brown eyes, the archaeologist said.

"It was hard work to restore the clay warriors as they were broken into pieces. It took us at least 10 days to restore one," Xu said.

The latest excavation also showed that the pit had seven layers, said Liu Zhanchang, director of the archaeology division of the Museum of Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses.

Also, traces of burns on the clay warriors and the walls prove that the pit had been set on fire, Liu said, adding more studies were needed for details.

A number of other relics including weapons, chariots, drums and painted wooden rings were also found during the excavation.

Qin Shihuang (259-210 BC), also called the First Emperor of China, was the founder of China's first unified feudal empire, the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).

The pit - located in Lintong district of Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province - was discovered accidentally by farmers in March 1974.

On Oct 1, 1979, the Museum of Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses was opened to the public. It attracts millions of visitors from home and abroad every year.

The pits contain funerary objects for the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, which is located some 1.5 km west of the pits. The clay warriors and horses are believed to represent the emperor's army.

The discovery of the Terracotta Warriors is considered of the most spectacular finds in the annals of archaeology and described as one of the wonders of the world.

Whoa! Terracotta Army Belongs to an Empress!!!

Okay - I'm trying to restrain myself. I wanted to write something like HISTORIAN LOBS NUCLEAR MISSILE AT COMMIE DIE-HARDS, or something like that, LOL! Here's the story reported by AFP: Terracotta army 'may have belonged to empress' (AFP) – 12 hours ago BEIJING — China's famed ancient terracotta army which surrounds the tomb of the nation's first emperor actually belonged to a female ancestor, a historian told a state-owned newspaper Wednesday. The army of life-sized figures discovered near the northern city of Xi'an is usually thought to be guarding the burial site of Qin Shihuang, who presided over the unification of China in 221 BC and declared himself the first emperor. But historian Chen Jingyuan told the Global Times he believes the emperor's ancestor Empress Xuan, who died 55 years before Qin's birth, was the real mastermind behind the army. Chen presents his evidence in his new book "The Truth of Terracotta Warriors," which details discrepancies such as the army's distance from Qin's tomb and the hairstyles and clothes of the warriors which he says indicate they belonged to the empress. "The hairstyle, the ancient Chinese characters found on some unearthed warriors and other evidence indicate the owner of the warriors was Empress Xuan," he told the paper. The clothes of the warriors were also painted in many colours, in contrast to the sombre black-clad soldiers of the emperor. "Empress Xuan, the so-called 'Empress Dowager Cixi of ancient times,' was one of the most powerful women in China's history. "During her reign, the Qin State was thriving and flourishing. This prosperity meant that this powerful woman had enough money to conduct such a huge project," Chin told the daily. But other historians and archaeologists disagree with his findings. Rest of article.

Nine mysteries of Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb

Amazing how 8's and 9's keep cropping up time and time again in ancient board game iconography. Story from the People's Daily Online. I don't know why Questions 5 through 7 were left blank with no answers - not even an attempt at answers. Really bad form, People's Daily Online! Bad form! 17:09, June 11, 2009 The silent guardians of the tomb of Chinese emperor Qinshihuang are among the most important archeological finds of the 20th century. In the more than three decades since the underground legions of Terra Cotta Warriors were unearthed, millions from China and around the world have visited this eighth wonder of the world. However, until now there are still many mysteries about the tomb of Qinshihuang, which leave limitless space for people's imagination. Here are the nine most frequently questioned ones. First: How deep is the underground palace? According to history books like Shih Chi where the author Si Maqian comments, "down through three streams of spring", it is believed that the underground palace of Qin Shihuang's tomb is much deeper than can be reached. But how deep is it? That is still an unresolved question today. Second: How many doors dose the underground palace have? Actually the answer to the number of underground palace doors was put in Shih Chi thousands of years ago. However, it did not get attention from scholars. Third: Is it true that the palace has many astronomical and geographical scenes? According to what is recorded in the Shih Chi, the underground palace has many astronomical and geographical scenes. Is it true or not? Or, do the descriptions about the palace have some other meanings? Fourth: Does mercury really exit in the palace or not? The Shih Chi says Qin Shihuang created rivers and seas with mercury. And similar words appear in Han Shu, too. However, we may never know the truth about it. Fifth: How many rare jewels and precious stones did the palace seal and what are they? Sixth: Was the coffin of Qin Shihuang made from copper or wood? Seventh: Whether the underground palace has empty space or not? Eighth: About the automatic transmitter. It is well known that Qin Shihuang had spent huge efforts on preventing thieves. According to the Shih Chi, there is hidden equipment that can launch crossbows automatically to kill intruders. If this passage of words is true, that equipment could be the earliest automatic theft-proof equipment Ninth: Is the body of Qin Shihuang well-preserved? The well-preserved female mummified body discovered in the 1970s gave the whole world a great shock. Since that woman would have been alive around the same time as Qin Shihuang, people started to think of the possibility of a mummified Qin Shihuang. However, all the mysteries are still unknown until such time as the underground palace can be revealed before the people. By People's Daily Online

Terracotta Warriors Damaged by Quake

From the Sydney Morning Herald
May 29, 2008 - 10:10AM
Photo from ChinaTravelGuide.com)

Temples, ancient pieces of pottery and the famed Terracotta Warriors were among priceless cultural treasures damaged or destroyed in this month's earthquake, state press reported today.

The May 12 quake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale damaged 1,645 cultural relics in worst-hit Sichuan province alone, including 148 regarded as precious, Xinhua news agency said.

One of those severely damaged was the 2000-year-old Erwang Temple, in the same area as the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Dujiangyan irrigation system, which also suffered some impact, Xinhua reported.

The temple was built to honour two ancient kings and was until the quake a popular tourist destination.

A further 239 relics were severely damaged in the neighbouring provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu as well as in the Chongqing Municipality, Xinhua said, citing China's Cultural Heritage Administration.

Tong Mingkang, the administration's deputy head, said experts from all over the country would gather in the affected areas to help restoration work.

"Relics restoration in the disaster area is at the top of our agenda for our bureau in the coming several years," Tong was quoted as saying.

A team of 20 leading experts was already assessing the damage, Xinhua said.

In Shaanxi, to the north-east of the quake zone, seven of the world-famous Terracotta Warriors sustained minor damage and were among 41 precious cultural artefacts affected, according to the Beijing News.

The discovery of the more than 2000-year-old Terracotta Warriors, buried along with China's first emperor, counts as one of the great archaeological sensations of the 20th century. There are an estimated 8000 warriors.

The earthquake cost the lives of more than 68,000 people, according to the latest official toll, making it China's worst natural disaster in a generation.

AFP