13 Nov. 2011: SPELLBINDING WARRIORS #2 of 2

Totally by accident, in 1974 peasants drilling a well in fields near Xi'an uncovered an underground vault that eventually yielded thousands of terracotta soldiers and their horses in battle formation! It is now considered to be one of the most important archeological finds in history. For over 2,000 years they have stood guard because Emperor Qin Shi Huang expected to continue to rule after death.

The warm-up is in the museum which showcases exquisite pieces for closeup examination. Every warrior was armed with various longshaft weapons, plus horses, chariots, and stone armour. It is staggering to think of the effort and artistry. Then the 3 separate pits reveal different rank, sacrificial offerings, and battle stations. But Pit #3 is stupendous. In a building the size of several aircraft hangars, 6,000 full-size warriors and horses all facing east ready for battle. First come the archers, both longbow and short. Then the main force who originally held spears, swords, daggers and other long weapons ---- the wood has long ago disintegrated. 35 chariots followed, their only trace the terracotta draft horses and the imprints of wagon wheels.

Some looting of the army happened a century ago. But although some archeologists had heard rumours of the site in the 1920's, careful scientific excavation has only been done in the last 15 years and is ongoing---what else will be found?

The incredible thing is that every one of these men and horses are different. The faces, hairstyles, expressions, and armour indicate that the whole army of statues was based on real living people at the time. As in a formal portrait, they have been preserved here while the rest of civilization caught up and found them. I've seen a lot of amazing sights in the world, but I think this is the new #1. Absolutely stupendous.