29 Mar: Unearthing the Terracotta Army
A group of farmers digging a well in Xi’an, China, stumbled upon a life-sized human head made of clay on 29th March, 1974. It was the first indication that beneath the ground – close to the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor – was the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century: the Terracotta Army.
The ‘army’ consists of more than 8,000 life-size soldiers, horses, and chariots, and was created to protect the emperor in the afterlife. The site has since become a popular tourist attraction and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why the farmers were initially reluctant to go public with their findings; reveal how a finger of one of the figures ended up in a desk drawer in Philadelphia; and consider what this world-famous artefact has in common with the Cabbage Patch Dolls…
Further Reading:
• ‘Terra Cotta Soldiers on the March’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2009): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/terra-cotta-soldiers-on-the-march-30942673/
• ’Uncovering China’s Terracotta Army’ (History Extra, 2018): https://www.historyextra.com/period/uncovering-china-terracotta-army/
• ‘Terracotta Army: The greatest archaeological find of the 20th century’ (BBC News, 2017):
#China #Discoveries #Art