New warriors of the famous Chinese terracotta army were discovered at a giant archeological site. The terracotta army, which was called the largest archaeological find of the 20th century, has now grown even further. Ancient China is still a rich source of extraordinary finds for archaeologists, which continue at the site of the terracotta army excavations.

In 1974, the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang was the first to be accidentally discovered by farmers working in northwest China. Since then, excavations have uncovered many valuable artifacts and treasures, including a terracotta army - thousands of small carved soldiers who were to guard the emperor in his afterlife.

The soldiers are more than 2000 years old

According to experts, the soldiers date from the 2nd century BC, which means that they are more than 2 years old. In addition to small soldiers, archaeologists also found horses, carriages, weapons and other artifacts, each of which is incredibly well preserved. Recently, another 000 warriors were discovered in the soil at Pit # 1 (Pit No. 1), as experts call one of the areas of this massive site. However, this area, covering about 200 square feet, is only part of the burial ground. According to experts, this covers approximately 4300 square miles.

Clay soldiers

In addition to the 200 warriors, archaeologists found another dozen clay horses and pieces of two more chariots. Research in this part of the site began in 2009; so far 6000 clay horses and soldiers have been found here, as well as many weapons such as swords and bows.

The warriors are well preserved

Archaeologists are still amazed at how well warriors and other artifacts are preserved. In the past, they have even speculated that a remarkable anti-corrosion coating is behind their resistance. But now he is leaning more towards the version that the soil content itself is behind the incredible durability and perfect shape of the artifacts, rather than any artificially applied paint.

One of the experts at the Pit # 1 excavations, Marcos Martinon-Torres of the University of Cambridge, told Newsweek in 2019: "The Terracotta Army is in some ways something of an extraordinary playground for archaeologists. It's big, complicated, well-preserved, carefully dug up and great fun.

It still raises countless questions that require tailor-made approaches and cooperation, and we all enjoy it very much. ”While the emperor's dynasty lasted only 15 years — not too long, given China's long history — his rule, in addition to the terracotta army, Great Wall of China.

Terracotta Army

Burial ground

Experts claim that in addition to the army, this huge place also contains a large burial ground, where craftsmen and workers were laid to rest for eternal rest. They assume that the construction of the complex probably took about 30 years. Unfortunately, the same experts are still trying to figure out how the place was built, what techniques allowed workers to complete such a sophisticated miracle so long ago in the past. Chinese and British experts continue to work together to explain the various possible ways in which this burial ground was built.

For years, they studied the art, science, and construction methods of ancient China to find out how this knowledge was put together to "create something as large and sophisticated as the mausoleum of the first emperor," Martinon-Torres told Newsweek. "We have always been fascinated by the possibility that Qin's craftsmen may have used some state-of-the-art technology to preserve their weapons for the afterlife."

More treasures

He added that the "pioneering work" of Chinese scientists in the 70s and 80s brought many new insights and benefits. However, scientists now believe that environmental factors have played a much greater role in preserving the site than anyone previously believed. For example, the high tin content of the soil has helped preserve artifacts and protect them from natural erosion over time.

But some of it is still speculative, as archaeologists continue to uncover more treasures, warriors and hidden gems buried with the terracotta army. As Martinon-Torres said, it is part of the challenge and "great fun" that the vast burial ground offers to scientists and archaeologists, those who are fortunate enough to visit these ancient and venerable tombs.