In 1974, an invaluable historical monument was found in China - thousands of clay statues. Scientists managed to learn a lot about the process of their creation, but many questions still remain unanswered.
More than eight thousand statues guarding the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in Xi'an are called the "Terracotta Army". Among the statues are Chinese warriors and their horses; several statues depict musicians, acrobats and officials.
The burial was discovered in March 1974 east of Mount Lishan when local farmers were drilling an artesian well. The first stage of excavation took place from 1978 to 1984; work continued in 1985-1986, and in 2009 the third stage of excavation began.
Research is still ongoing. Mount Lishan is a man-made necropolis of the first Qin emperor. Terracotta statues, buried with him in 210−209 BC, were supposed to accompany him to the afterlife. In addition to clay statues, his concubines and other servants were sent on the last journey with the emperor.
The figures of the warriors are real works of art: all of them were made by hand and using various techniques. Each of the eight thousand statues has its own unique features and even facial expressions. After the statue was given the required shape, it was fired and covered with a special organic glaze, over which paint was applied.
Scientists were able to establish that the horses were made right next to the necropolis - apparently to simplify their transportation: the mass of each such sculpture is about 200 kilograms. The warriors weigh no more than 135 kilograms, and the place of their manufacture remains unknown until now.
Archaeologists from the UK and China conducted a new study. They made a petrographic analysis of the composition of the material not only of terracotta soldiers, but also statues of acrobats and various small artifacts buried near the mausoleum. It turned out that although the clay in its total mass was mined not far from the tomb, the composition of impurities in different figures differed. In particular, sand was added to the figures of people, the remains of plants were found inside the figurine of a clay bird, and the bricks that strengthened the pit consist of a mixture of dark and light clay.
On the basis of this, scientists concluded that several different workshops worked on the creation of an army of many thousands and the objects surrounding it. Each of them had its own corporate identity. The sand made the clay more elastic and stronger, but made the structure heavier. And the plant elements, which also made it possible to strengthen the product, made it lighter. Another discovery was the firing temperature: at present, when working with such a material, craftsmen heat the clay to + 900 … + 1000 ˚C, whereas in ancient times Chinese specialists successfully coped with the task at +750 ˚C.
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Meanwhile, the very tomb of Emperor Qin Shih Huang remains intact. Archaeologists did not open it: all artifacts lurking in it are extremely vulnerable to air and light. Only new, more advanced conservation methods that have yet to be invented can ensure their safety.
Anastasia Barinova