Still on Guard

Nearly 50 years ago, farmers digging a well in central China made a surprising discovery. They uncovered a head made of terra-cotta, a type of baked clay. It belonged to a statue of a soldier. And the figure wasn’t alone. It was part of a massive army buried in a tomb.

Since 1974, archaeologists have found more than 8,000 terra-cotta warriors in the tomb. And they’re still digging! In 2022, more than 20 new warriors were found. Finding and restoring these sculptures has helped scientists learn more about China’s ancient past.

Nearly 50 years ago, farmers dug a well in central China. They discovered something surprising: a head made of terra-cotta. Terra-cotta is a type of baked clay. The head belonged to a statue of a soldier. And the figure wasn’t alone. It was part of a huge terra-cotta army. The army was buried in a tomb.

Since 1974, archaeologists have found more than 8,000 terra-cotta warriors in the tomb. And they’re still digging! In 2022, more than 20 new warriors were found. Finding and restoring these sculptures has helped scientists learn more about China’s ancient past.

The emperor had his terra-cotta army placed in pits beside his burial mound. Artists sculpted the statues to look like the emperor’s real-life army. The warriors are lined up in rows according to their military rank. They even carry real weapons like crossbows and bronze swords.

Workers made the statues’ bodies out of coiled ropes of clay. They created the statues’ heads using molds of different sizes and shapes. Artists carved each statue’s facial features and hairstyle by hand. No two look exactly the same!

The emperor had his terra-cotta army placed in pits beside his burial mound. Artists sculpted the statues to look like the emperor’s real-life army. The warriors are lined up in rows. They are arranged according to their military rank. They even carry real weapons like crossbows and bronze swords.

Workers made the statues’ bodies from ropes of clay. They created the statues’ heads using molds of different sizes and shapes. Artists carved each statue’s facial features and hairstyle by hand. No two look exactly the same!

For the final touch, the ancient artists painted the statues so they looked even more lifelike. They applied the paint over lacquer, a protective coating made from tree sap. But when archaeologists removed the first statues from the earth, the lacquer cracked and peeled off—taking the paint with it.

“Almost nothing remains on the terra-cotta surfaces,” says Catharina Blänsdorf, an art conservationist in Germany. It’s impossible to tell how colorful the statues might have been when they were created.

But scientists found a solution. They started spraying a type of chemical that preserved lacquer onto the statues as soon as they were uncovered. Much of the paint had still flaked away over time, leaving the entire army a dull brown color. But this process kept any remaining paint on the statues.

This new method has helped scientists recreate what the warriors originally looked like. They’ve discovered that the statues had bright-purple robes, flaming-red scarves, and even painted-on eyelashes! The colors give more clues as to what life was like during this ancient age.

Now scientists are working to restore the new warriors found in 2022. We will have to wait and see how these statues were colored and if any new information about Qin Shi Huang’s empire will be revealed.

The ancient artists also painted the statues so they would look even more lifelike. They applied the paint over lacquer. Lacquer is a protective coating made from tree sap. But when archaeologists removed the first statues from the earth, the lacquer cracked and peeled off. The paint fell off with it.

“Almost nothing remains on the terra-cotta surfaces,” says Catharina Blänsdorf. She’s an art conservationist in Germany. It’s impossible to tell how colorful the statues might have been when they were created.

But scientists found a solution. They now spray a chemical onto the statues as soon as they are uncovered. The chemical preserves lacquer. Much of the paint has still flaked away over time. The entire army is now a dull brown color. But the spray keeps any remaining paint on the statues.

Multiply with arrays to answer the questions below.

Multiply with arrays to answer the questions below.