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The Terracotta Army is one of China’s most famous tourist attractions. But when was it built?
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Introduction
The Terracotta Army is one of the most famous archaeological discoveries in history. It is a collection of over 8,000 life-size clay soldiers, horses, and chariots that were buried in pits around the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi in 210 BCE. The Army was discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well, and it has been fascinating archaeologists and historians ever since.
The First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army was built to protect the First Qin Emperor in the afterlife. The First Qin Emperor was the first emperor of China, and he ruled from 221-206 BCE. The Terracotta Army was built during his reign, sometime between 246 and 208 BCE.
The Construction of the Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta statues of soldiers and horses located in China. The statues were built to protect the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. Construction of the army began in 246 BCE, and it is believed that the army took around 700,000 workers nearly 40 years to complete.
The Discovery of the Terracotta Army
In March of 1974, some farmers digging a water well in Lintong County, just east of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, came across some pottery. They continued digging and found a life-size terracotta head. Alarmed, they stopped digging and reported their findings to the authorities. Archaeologists were sent to the site and they soon realized that they had stumbled upon something incredible: theTerra-cotta Army of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China.
The Significance of the Terracotta Army
The Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was the first emperor of a unified China and he reigned from 221-206 BCE. He is best known for his massive building projects and for his infamous flowing rivers of mercury. The First Emperor was so concerned about his legacy that he ordered the construction of an enormous tomb complex east of modern-day Xi’an in Shaanxi Province which included the now-famous Terracotta Army.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is still much debate surrounding the Terracotta Army. However, recent evidence suggests that they were built between 210 and 209 BCE.
