The Terracotta Museum is located east of Emperor Qin's Mausoleum, which covers a total area of 20 hectares. Three main buildings of the museum, which were named Pit 1, Pit 2 and Pit 3, were set up on their original sites in the order that they were found.
In March 1974 the farmers from Xiyang Village accidentally discovered many broken pottery figures while digging a well 1.5 km away from Emperor Qin Shihuang's Tomb. After archaeological
excavation it turned out to be a pit in which were buried terracotta warriors and horses from the Qin Dynasty. In 1976 another two pits were found nearby. They were named Pit 1, 2 and 3 according to the time they were found and have a total area of 22,780 square metres.
In 1975 a museum with an area of 16,300 square metres was built on the site of Pit No.1 with the aim of protecting the valuable historical relics. The museum was officially finished and opened to the public in 1979. The exhibition hall of Pit 3 was finished and opened to the public in 1989 and five years later the exhibition hall of Pit 2 was open to the public.
In a visit by myself and family in 1983 only Pit 1 was open to the public and few warriors could be seen, the building being little more than a shed over the excavations. I was enthralled with what I saw then and now thoroughly enjoyed visiting the site again still trying to imagine what the whole area will look like when it will eventually be excavated, which is not likely to be in my lifetime as it is such a huge area with so much work to be done. The power and authority of the emperors who had the work done in the first place is more than difficult to comprehend.
Pit 1 is in an oblong shape tunnel of 230 metres long from east to west and 62 metres wide from north to south. It is 5 metres deep. It occupies an area of 14,260 square metres. Inside the tunnel, there are ten earth-rammed partition walls. The floors are bricks-paved. The terra-cotta warriors and horses in Pit 1 are lined in a real battle formation. To the east end of the pit standing facing east are three rows of terra-cotta warriors in battle tunics and puttees. There are 70 in each row with total number of 210 altogether. Armed with bows and arrows, they form the vanguard. The ten rammed partition walls cut Pit 1 into eleven latitudinal passage ways. There are 38 columns of warriors in the east with horse-drawn chariots in the centre. The armour-clad warriors carrying long-shaft weapons are probably the main body of the formation and show the main force.
Pit 2 is situated 20 metres to the north of Pit 1. This Pit is L-shaped and composed of four different mixed military forces in four rows. There are more than 1,000 pieces of pottery figures, 500 horse-driven chariots and saddled horses. The pit is about 6,000 square metres.
Pit 3 is in a concave shape having a size of 520 square metres. In the pit was discovered one chariot, four terracotta horses and 68 clay armoured warriors. Pit 3 only contained one kind of weapon called "shu", which had no blades and was said to be used by the guards of honour. Discovered also in this pit were a remains of deer-horn and animal bones. This is maybe the site where sacrificial offerings and war prayers were practice.
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In December 1980, two sets of large painted bronze chariots and horses were unearthed near the tomb of the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. They were listed as No.1 and No.2 respectively according to their discovery. They were then enclosed in a wooden coffin and buried in a pit seven metres deep. When excavated, the chariots and horses were seriously damaged due to the decayed wooden coffin and the collapse of earthen layers. No.2 bronze chariot and horses were found broken into 1555 pieces when excavated. It took two-and-half years to restore them and they were opened to the public on 1 October 1983. No.1 bronze chariot and horses were also open to the public in 1988.
In March 1974 the farmers from Xiyang Village accidentally discovered many broken pottery figures while digging a well 1.5 km away from Emperor Qin Shihuang's Tomb. After archaeological
excavation it turned out to be a pit in which were buried terracotta warriors and horses from the Qin Dynasty. In 1976 another two pits were found nearby. They were named Pit 1, 2 and 3 according to the time they were found and have a total area of 22,780 square metres. In 1975 a museum with an area of 16,300 square metres was built on the site of Pit No.1 with the aim of protecting the valuable historical relics. The museum was officially finished and opened to the public in 1979. The exhibition hall of Pit 3 was finished and opened to the public in 1989 and five years later the exhibition hall of Pit 2 was open to the public.
In a visit by myself and family in 1983 only Pit 1 was open to the public and few warriors could be seen, the building being little more than a shed over the excavations. I was enthralled with what I saw then and now thoroughly enjoyed visiting the site again still trying to imagine what the whole area will look like when it will eventually be excavated, which is not likely to be in my lifetime as it is such a huge area with so much work to be done. The power and authority of the emperors who had the work done in the first place is more than difficult to comprehend.Pit 1 is in an oblong shape tunnel of 230 metres long from east to west and 62 metres wide from north to south. It is 5 metres deep. It occupies an area of 14,260 square metres. Inside the tunnel, there are ten earth-rammed partition walls. The floors are bricks-paved. The terra-cotta warriors and horses in Pit 1 are lined in a real battle formation. To the east end of the pit standing facing east are three rows of terra-cotta warriors in battle tunics and puttees. There are 70 in each row with total number of 210 altogether. Armed with bows and arrows, they form the vanguard. The ten rammed partition walls cut Pit 1 into eleven latitudinal passage ways. There are 38 columns of warriors in the east with horse-drawn chariots in the centre. The armour-clad warriors carrying long-shaft weapons are probably the main body of the formation and show the main force.
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Pit 2 is situated 20 metres to the north of Pit 1. This Pit is L-shaped and composed of four different mixed military forces in four rows. There are more than 1,000 pieces of pottery figures, 500 horse-driven chariots and saddled horses. The pit is about 6,000 square metres.
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Pit 3 is in a concave shape having a size of 520 square metres. In the pit was discovered one chariot, four terracotta horses and 68 clay armoured warriors. Pit 3 only contained one kind of weapon called "shu", which had no blades and was said to be used by the guards of honour. Discovered also in this pit were a remains of deer-horn and animal bones. This is maybe the site where sacrificial offerings and war prayers were practice.
.JPG)
In December 1980, two sets of large painted bronze chariots and horses were unearthed near the tomb of the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. They were listed as No.1 and No.2 respectively according to their discovery. They were then enclosed in a wooden coffin and buried in a pit seven metres deep. When excavated, the chariots and horses were seriously damaged due to the decayed wooden coffin and the collapse of earthen layers. No.2 bronze chariot and horses were found broken into 1555 pieces when excavated. It took two-and-half years to restore them and they were opened to the public on 1 October 1983. No.1 bronze chariot and horses were also open to the public in 1988.
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