Terracotta Army: The greatest archaeological find of the 20th century - BBC News

In March 1974, Chinese farmers digging a well unearthed the greatest archaeological find of the century - the buried Terracotta Army. After coming across a life-sized human head made of clay in Xi’an, China, archaeologists were called in to investigate. What they found was extraordinary. Thousands of life-like terracotta figures from the Qin dynasty, fashioned 2,000 years ago to protect the First Emperor of China in the afterlife. Archaeologist Li Xiuzhen has worked on the site since the 1980s. Her team was the first to discover that each warrior was originally painted in bright colours.

[mondasiancyberman]

The Terracotta Warriors are the thing I absolutely wanna see before I die.

[Enterthemind]

We don't give a lot of the ancient civilizations enough credit. They were much more advanced than what we have been told.

[momentary_]

China is fortunate that they found these in 1974 and not earlier. The British would have taken them if they were discovered earlier.

[carterhicks]

ancient Chinese craftsmanship is simply incredible and so advanced for its time. I love this stuff.

[fumikaoda]

It's over thousands of years and still intact it amazes me

[surayah]

I had been wanting to see this for ages, and finally got my chance recently. I was there on March 20, 2019. It was spectacular!

[quazar]

Can we talk about how something this amazing was lost and hidden through time. With how big the world is, there must be so many things we have yet to discover of the past.

[jeffreyshowell]

I met that women she is a tour guide there. Yes a must go see again someday.

[Pulsonar]

It’s completely breathtaking, not even a Spielberg movie could dream up an archaeological artefact of thjs spectacular magnitude. 8000 figures, 130 chariots, 520 horses in over 25, 000 Sq metres! They believe it’s only a tiny part of a much larger ancient complex. Chinese hearts must’ve been bursting with honour and pride after the first exhibition was opened to the public in 1975, just 1 year after the Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974.

[judyvalencia]

I remember when this was discovered. Still in Awe!

[rochaisabela]

I remember seeing them when I was seven at São Paulo! I remember the goosebumps I felt all over standing by those!

[flowershroud]

I was blessed to see these sculptures when they were on display in D.C. back in 2010. Seeing them in person is really incredible— and I actually hadn’t known about the fact they were all painted until I saw this video! The little ‘recreation’ of giving color back to their clothing really made me think how they must have looked long, long ago.

[y]

I really respect my Chinese ancestors from 1000 years ago. Thanks them for creating such beautiful traditional Chinese cultures.

[miaomiaochan]

As someone of Chinese descent, I feel as if it's my duty to see this place at least once in my life.

[TheBilayer]

When I visit the terracotta site a rush of goosebumps hit me, as I felt a word "majestic" float out my mind. The area that the lady is interviewing is as big as 4 football field.

[sugaray]

It looks amazing now imagine what it looked like when it was first finished...

[juril]

They really are impressive in person. We just got back from there a few months ago. This video is what I thought visiting the Terracotta Warriors would be like, a peaceful reflection on history. The real experience is a little more like Disney World. Lots of tour groups, ridiculous crowds and fake terracotta warrior photo ops. Even still you can't help be impressed by the artistry and the shear number of sculpted figures.

[mstwelvedeadlycyns]

Coolest set of statues ever in history! So precise and attention to detail! Didn't just happen over night!!!!

[ithinilben]

And the most surprising thing is that this is only an additional burial site. The main tomb where the corpse of the emporor is buried, is the underground palace and thats way bigger than this.

[lemonarry]

Very sadly, though, when one of the Terrecotta soldiers was sent to a museum in the USA (Philadelphia, I think) for exhibition a few months ago, an American took a thumb off the solider and took it home. Most Americans aren't aware of the event because US media was too embarrassed to report...