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The Army Of The Undead Essay

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The Army of the Undead
In 1974 Chinese farmers in Lintong District, Xi 'an, of the Shaanxi province were digging for a well when they unearthed fragments of clay figures and made one of the most important discoveries in art history to date. Archaeologists were notified of the discovery and they began excavating the area for more clues as to what was buried. The clay army of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was found buried in pits near the emperor’s underground tomb, over 8,000 warriors dated to approximately the late third century BCE. The massive life sized army was once in full color and complete with weapons such as swords and bows. Researchers have studied the various techniques and new technology that was introduced to create the fine detail and unique features of each figure. Art historians have speculated possible influences from other cultures such as Greek and Hellenistic that helped shape the style of the figures. The terracotta warriors have been excavated from four main pits, other clay figures including chariots, horses, and performers have been discovered around the emperor’s tomb. The clay army is a part of a much larger necropolis consisting of several halls, stables, and an imperial park around the tomb mound. Qin Shi Huang’s tomb hasn’t been excavated out of fear of destroying artifacts buried within by exposing them.
The discovery of the Terracotta army at first seemed to strengthen the idea of Chinas first emperor being a ruthless warmonger who

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