Terracotta Warrior Pits and Earthenware Kilns of the Han Dynasty on Mount Weishan
Location:
Zhangqiu City in Jinan,
East China's Shandong
Province
Period: Han
Dynasty (206 BC- AD220)
Excavation period: November 23, 2002 to early 2003
A joint team of researchers from the Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics
Archeological Research Institute, Jinan City Archeological Research Institute
and Zhangqiu City Museum, led by Wang Shougong
Findings
In an amazing archaeological discovery last year, three
terracotta army pits were unearthed in a Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) tomb complex
on Mount Weishan
in
Zhangqiu City, Shandong Province.
The excavation team uncovered three attendant pits, over 30 mausoleums and
three kilns harvesting a large number of color-painted terracotta chariots,
horses and soldiers. All the soldiers and horses were made out of moulds.
The No 1 pit is 9.7 meters long and 1.9 meters wide, and
contains 173 painted terracotta soldiers, 56 horses, four chariots and more than
90 shields. Following the burial customs of nobles of the Han Dynasty, the
soldiers and chariots were arranged in an outing formation, with the cavalry in
the lead, followed by chariots and the infantry. There are 30 lifelike
terracotta cavalrymen arranged in six rows. The riders have a dignified
disposition, and the crimson-painted horses, are very sturdy looking. The three
chariots in the middle are among the biggest ceramic
chariots from the Han Dynasty unearthed in China. Eighty foot soldiers are
positioned behind, wielding spears and shields. Although slightly smaller than
the cavalrymen in front, the foot soldiers also sport a commanding presence.
Scattered around the soldiers are instruments used by the honor guards.
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