1974 was the year when labourers in China made the most incredible find as they were in the process of drilling a new well. They stumbled upon a hole in which, at first, they uncovered one thousand pieces of clay figures, a few bronze chariots, horses, and weaponry that would have been utilised during that time period. However, they quickly realised that this hole was enormous and that it was the last resting place of more than 6,000 life-size terra cotta warriors who were all standing in line, many of them with their horses and ready to do combat.
Archaeologists were excited about this discovery and fascinated by the fact that the horses all faced east and the warriors each had distinct facial expressions, which gave the impression that they were eerie yet realistic at the same time. Although there have been 96 horses and 11 chariots discovered so far, archaeologists think this is just the beginning of their discovery.
The image that is painted by the Army of Terra Cotta Warriors is highly distinct. During the Qing Dynasty, in the year 221 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang was in control of the empire. Constructing the Terra Cotta Army had the purpose of giving the impression of superior strength and manpower. It was thought that when adversaries attacked, the great force backing Emperor Qin would overwhelm them to the point that they would retreat. It took more than one million people to build the army, and it is impossible to adequately describe the feeling of gazing at the finished artwork.
There have been a total of three pits found, but the excavators are continuing their job since there is a high probability that there are even more pits that are simply sitting there waiting to be found. It should come as no surprise that the hole that is housing over 6,000 troops is rather large. The other pits, on the other hand, are not simple holes in the earth but rather are more akin to subterranean towns.
Pit One
The workmen discovered a strange rectangular arrangement inside this initial trench, which consisted of army personnel and chariots. The length of this hole when measured east to west is 755 feet, and when measured north to south it is 203 feet. The whole pit was constructed using nothing but wood and soil as building materials. It seems to be a cavern from the outside, with five entrances that slope downward towards the bottom of the pit.
There are ten barriers built to act as separators between the rows of troops that have been assembled. The bottom of this pit is paved with black bricks, and these walls are all strengthened with wood beams that are covered with reed and soil. As a method of providing cover for the advance guard, three rows of men have turned their backs to the east. There are 210 soldiers in all since each squad has a strength of seventy. The rear guards on the west side are armed with crossbows, while the flanking warriors to the south are facing south.
Pit Two
The soldiers, cavalry, and chariots of the army are arranged in a twisting arrangement in this pit. Even though it is just 66 feet away from the previous pit, this specific pit is an astonishing 3.74 miles in circumference. The pit is laid out in the form of a “L,” and inside its four distinct portions, there are a total of one thousand warriors, five hundred horses, and eighty-nine wooden chariots. Each of the parts is designed to accomplish a certain task:
The first section consists of the interior, which has 334 archers arrayed in groups of eight. All of the archers are equipped with crossbows that are very detailed in their design. Roughly half of the archers are outfitted with the robust protection provided by their armour. The archers in the front are kneeling so that they may fire their crossbows over the heads of the troops in the rear who are kneeling. The archers in the back are standing.
Section Two – This section has a total of 64 chariots, which are once again arranged in groups of eight. An archer serves as the chariot’s driver, while two soldiers, one on each side, provide protection for the vehicle. Infantrymen will keep their ground in order to deliver reinforcements to the rear.
In the third and last section, which may be seen in the very middle of the arena, there are 19 chariots and around 100 troops. The groups in this pit are divided into three sections that cover the right, the left, and the back. The formations each have a chariot at the forefront, followed by archers and messengers moving about as though they were going about their normal business.
In the fourth portion, there are three different groups to choose from if you stand with your back to the north. These contingents are comprised of six chariots, 124 horses, and 124 men in all. Each of the chariots has room for two people: the charioteer and a scout. The charioteer steers the chariot. The faces of the soldiers shown in this section have a particularly menacing appearance, and each of them is shown clutching a bow while seeming to be prepared for combat.
Pit Three
It was established that this last hole was the command headquarters of Emperor Qin because to the fact that it contained numerous exquisite pieces of pottery, jewellery, and other artefacts that would have been believed to have been personal goods during his reign.
In the beginning, everyone thought that everyone was their own unique creation. They were really manufactured using a multitude of moulds that included the different body pieces before being integrated into the final product. Using an assembly line method, hundreds of workers created and assembled the warriors in a variety of stances before handing them off to the artisan to finish. After that, the artisans would cover the whole piece with tiny layers of clay and sculpt the finishing elements to give each soldier a distinct look as well as a distinct personality.
The whole of the army seems to be on high alert, as if they are awaiting the order to launch an assault…somewhere in the next world.