Terracotta Army China

Legendary

A collection of soldiers, chariots, and horses buried with Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.

Photo by Anita Ritenour

In March 1974, a group of farmers near Xi'an, China, were digging a well during a drought. About a meter and a half down, they hit something hard.

First came pieces of pottery. Then a bronze arrowhead. Then part of a life-sized man made of clay.

They had found an army that had been standing guard underground for more than 2,000 years.

The soldiers were made for Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unite China. He was only 13 years old when work on his tomb began in 246 BC.

The emperor was terrified of dying. He wanted to take an entire army with him into the afterlife to protect him.

The project was enormous. An ancient historian recorded that 700,000 workers were forced to build the tomb complex, and the work went on for about 38 years.

The army was placed in huge underground pits a short distance from the tomb. Experts estimate there are about 8,000 soldiers, along with hundreds of horses and chariots.

The soldiers face east. That's the direction of the kingdoms the emperor had conquered, so the army was ready if enemies came from there.

Every soldier is different. Each one has its own face, hairstyle, and expression, and they're arranged by rank, from archers and foot soldiers to generals.

Workers made them in parts, like an assembly line, then added the unique details by hand. They were originally painted in bright colors.

Most of that paint is gone. When the soldiers were dug up and hit the air, the colors began to flake off and fade.

Only a portion of the army has been dug up so far. The emperor's actual tomb has never been opened.

Ancient records claim it holds rivers of liquid mercury. Archaeologists have decided to leave it sealed until they can explore it without damaging what's inside.

UNESCO named the site a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Start at Pit 1, the biggest, where row after row of soldiers stand in formation as far as you can see. Look closely at a few faces and see if you can find two that match, because you won't. Visit the museum to see the bronze chariots and horses, which are half life-size and built with thousands of separate parts.

Sources: National Geographic, World History Encyclopedia, and Wikipedia.