DRIFT Winter 2017

The exquisite Terracotta Army was
discovered on March 29, 1974, to
the east of Xi’an in Shaanxi province
by farmers who were digging a
well at the foot of Mount Li, a
location favored for its underground
springs, gold and glimmering jade.
According to the Shiji, or “Records of
the Grand Historian,” the mausoleum
precinct (city of death) began
construction shortly after Qin Shi
Huang became king, and continued
until shortly after his death.
Qin Shi Huang had four pits
excavated to house the terracotta
army, although only three were
filled by the time construction
ceased. Pit 1 is the largest pit, Pit 2
is the most spectacular, and Pit 3
houses the command headquarters.
Traces of Chinese purple and other
colors may be seen on some of the
half solid/half hollow terracotta
warriors, and the bronze swords
unearthed in Pit 2 remain sharp
and surprisingly pliable. When a
331-pound terracotta warrior was
removed from one of these swords,
the sword slowly returned to its
original shape. Scientific studies
concluded that the Qin swords
were coated with chrome, which is
interesting since chrome oxidation
is a relatively recent phenomenon.
How did Chinese ancestors do
it more than 2,000 years ago?
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