Here is how the story goes: because of the 1974 drought the local peasants were digging a well and instead of water they found terracotta soldiers, horses and chariots after being buried for 2174 years...
Soon after the discovery the hangars were built over the excavation sites; at this time (2007) there are three Pits or Vaults open to the public; this is the First Vault, the oldest one...
Pit # 1 is the largest, contains 6000 of the total of 8000 soldiers and horses; the huge area (227m by 61m) is awe inspiring. The infantrymen are arranged in 11 corridors. All soldiers face east, towards their emperor's tomb...
Soldier's individual faces are modeled on the faces of actual soldiers in the emperor's army - no two soldiers have the same face. They carry real weapons.
Originally all the soldiers and the horses were painted in bright colours; generals' robe was green, infantry had black armor, ears and nostrils of their horses: as red as blood! Chinese first crossbow and brick wall were discovered here.
The rank of the soldiers is determined based on what uniform they wear and how their hair is tied. The metal weapons were still sharp at the time of discovery and the arrowheads contained lead to make them poisonous.
...because the oxygen from the air was destroying the colours on the shattered clay pieces.
Here you can see excavation in progress; it takes years to dig up shattered clay pieces and then it takes decades to re-assemble them... computers help a little bit but still it's a very slow process.
There are four types of clay figures here: crossbowmen, charioteers, cavalry and infantry (in Vault #1 it's mostly foot soldiers). Vault # 2 was discovered in 1976 and kept covered until March of 1994.
It is said that this scene looks more like an aftermath of a battle than the preparation for it. Which, in a sense, is true; the enemy was the time itself.
There is strong evidence that General Xiang Yu looted the royal tomb and torched the underground vaults in 206 BC after he failed to take over the power (he was defeated by the first emperor of the Han Dynasty). All of that happened after the death of Qin Shi Huang, of course.
First, the archeologists had to remove the soil concealing the roof made of ancient timbers and mats, then they had to remove the roof itself.
Higher ranking officers stand taller than those of lower rank.
...double-tailed caps and square shoes turned up at the toes. The wooden chariots and it's four horses wait in attendance.
...are believed to be modeled on the desert horses of Gansu Province.
... just as you enter the Vault 1 , close to the ticket office, this is the cavalryman and his horse.
our guide told us this was the only soldier among the thousands unearthed which was intact; somehow he survived unharmed while the others got smashed into pieces..
The two bronze chariots that you can see were found in the 8m deep pit, 18m west of the base of Qin Shi Huang's burial mound. They are believed to be the models (half life-sized) of the actual royal chariots. This is The High Chariot, with the bronze umbrella and short cart.
This is The Comfortable Chariot and this chariot was designed to carry concealed passengers. There are many more interesting things to be discovered in this area of Xi'an, this is just the beginning.
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