Chinese scientists believe that the first Europeans entered the country 1.5 thousand years earlier than Marco Polo and may have taken part in the construction of the Terracotta Army. It is reported by the British edition of The Independent.
Scientists came to such conclusions after analyzing archaeological and genetic data obtained during excavations on the territory of the tomb of the first emperor Qin Shi Huang, who united China into a single state.
Researchers have discovered many artifacts of European origin, in particular, figurines of bronze birds, made with a now forgotten wax technique. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA showed that Europeans were in China during the reign of Qin Shi Huang (led the country by 221 BC).
Most likely, these were the ancient Greeks who penetrated the territory of India in the 4th century BC after the campaigns of Alexander the Great.
“We now think that the Terracotta Army, acrobats and bronze sculptures found at the site were modeled after ancient Greek sculptures and art,” notes archaeologist Huang Xiuzhen.
The Terracotta Army is a complex of over eight thousand full-size statues of Chinese warriors and their horses. The monuments are located next to the tomb of the first emperor of the Qin dynasty - Qin Shi Huang.