The Traveller's Magazine
The ranks of China’s famous Terra Cotta Army are about to become larger, as a few hundred more ancient life-size figures are added to the collection.
The museum that oversees the mausoleum of China’s first emperor began work on tomb No. 2 in March, which is smaller in size, but is believed to be significantly richer in archaeological value than tomb No. 1 that has already been excavated. 1,400 warrior and horse statues have been discovered and the team believes there could also be 89 chariots and 116 mounted soldiers.
The discovery could offer invaluable insights into the military culture of the Qin dynasty, according to the museum’s website.
The tombs were first discovered in 1974 and the terra cotta army is one of the most popular tourist attractions in China, after the Great Wall, receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The army was built to protect the tomb of the first Qin emperor who died in 210 A.D.
Each statue weighs 180 kilograms and range in height, from 183cm to 195.
