This Day in History - Emperor Qin's Terracotta Army

On this day in 1975 excavations in Shaanxi Province, China revealed the terracotta warriors of Chinese Emperor Qin's mausoleum. First unearthed in 1974 by some farmers drilling a well, the terracotta army was buried around 210 BC in order to help Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi rule in the afterlife. Located near the town of Xi'an, Qin's Army is one of the most-recognized archaeological sites in the world. Nearly 2 million people visit the site every year.

A total of 8,099 life-size terracotta warriors stand guard in perfect military formation near the tomb of Emperor Qin (pronounced chin). The tomb itself, a 76-meter-tall pyramid, has never been opened, although remote sensory studies performed earlier this year have revealed that it contains a 30-meter-tall building. Some scientists theorize that this was designed to provide the Emperor's soul a way to depart the tomb.

The warriors themselves have been the source of continual amazement since they were unearthed in 1975. Each soldier is individually made, with unique facial features, realistic coloring and hair, and authentically formed armor. The soldiers had real weapons until they were looted, presumably soon after they were made. There is evidence that the soldiers were originally contained in a wooden structure, but that it was burned by fire. Emperor Qin's necropolis was filled with treasure, including gems and pearls on the ceiling. It appears that the craftsman who made the soldiers were sealed in the tomb to protect the secrets of those riches.

On a humorous note, last September a German art student dressed as one of the terracotta warriors and infiltrated the army, bringing the total number of soldiers to 8,100. His costume was so authentic that it took security several minutes to locate him among the soldiers. Fortunately for him, the Chinese authorities let him ago after determining that he meant no harm and had not damaged any of the soldiers.