Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and Terracotta Army

秦始皇陵

China · Shaanxi

NecropolisIntermittent excavationUNESCO · 1987
Approximate period246 BCE — 208 BCEQin period; construction phase of the tomb complex See on the map ↓

In brief

The tomb complex of the first Chinese emperor is an extensive necropolis equipped with soldiers, horses and vehicles. The coordinate given refers to the excavated Terracotta Army pits; the emperor's central burial chamber has not yet been excavated.

What was found?

  • 1Terracotta soldiers

    The life-size soldier statues, with their different faces and equipment, allow the organization of the Qin army to be studied.

  • 2Terracotta horses

    These are horse statues accompanying the army in the tomb complex. They offer a detailed representation of the military formation that also includes animals.

  • 3Bronze chariots

    These are bronze chariot models prepared for the tomb. Their intricate forms are important examples of the period's metalworking.

  • 4Bronze weapons

    Swords, spears, and other weapons found with the statues provide direct evidence of Qin military equipment.

  • 5Traces of purple paint

    Artificially produced Chinese purple pigment has survived on some statues. These traces show that the statues were painted and that the craftspeople specialized in pigment production.

What does it point to?

The complex shows that the imperial administration could organize labor and expertise on a large scale. The tomb plan, which reflects the layout of the capital, and the surrounding army indicate that the world of rulership was also carried into funerary architecture.

What did it teach us?

  1. It provided material evidence that can be assessed together to study the organization and weapons of the Qin army.
  2. It showed that terracotta sculpture, bronze casting, and artificial pigment production were combined in the same tomb project.
  3. It revealed that the capital of the living served as a model for the plan of the tomb complex.

Latest news / selected archive

In 2024, a statue of a high-ranking officer of a type not previously recovered from the second pit was found there.

Record

Culture
Qin
First modern dig
1974
Team / historical
Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
Coordinates
34.3852°, 109.2734°

Sources

  1. whc.unesco.org
  2. whc.unesco.org
  3. content.ucpress.edu
  4. shanghaitech.edu.cn

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