Archaeologists Uncovered a Terracotta Commander and Warriors at the Mausoleum of China’s First Emperor

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare 2,000-year-old statue depicting a high-ranking military commander at the famous Terracotta Army site in China: The statue is the first commander statue found since 1994.

This discovery is rare among the thousands of life-size warriors created because it is to the mere 10 commanders among the thousands of soldiers present there.

The statue, found buried in silt, adds to the growing collection of life-size clay warriors that have fascinated historians and visitors from around the world.

The enormous tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first Chinese emperor who reigned from 221 to 207 B.C., was hardly documented in history. Experts have since uncovered a complex army of thousands of terracotta warrior statues, horses, chariots, and weapons surrounding the emperor’s unopened tomb. The site was discovered by locals entirely by accident in 1974 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. Experts believe the army was buried to protect Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, in the afterlife.

Researchers say that thousands of additional warriors could exist, each uniquely designed, individually sculpted, and originally painted in bright colors.

The latest find was located in No. 2 Pit. “Based on its location, we believe this figure was likely the highest-ranking military commander of this unit,” Zhu Sihong, head of the excavation project, told state broadcaster CCTV, according to the South China Morning Post.

Despite being buried for centuries, the statue retained traces of its original color. Sihong said that the silt helped preserve the statue’s paint by maintaining stable humidity and temperature levels underground.

The rare commander was not alone; he was discovered alongside two high-ranking officers and five armored warriors, as well as additional chariot and horse remnants. The intricate headdress, ornate armor with patterns and ribbon knots, and clasped hands in front of the body all contribute to the figure’s rank.

To date, a total of 7,000 soldiers, horses, chariots, and weapons have been discovered at the site (roughly 2,000 of those are life-size warriors). Many of the finds have been restored, and experts believe that thousands more life-size figures could still be buried.

Cover Image credit: CC BY 2.0