Chinese Terracotta Army
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Chinese Terracotta Warriors

One of the supreme examples of Chinese art, and the largest collection of ceramic or clay sculpture ever discovered, The Terracotta Army (also known as the "Terracotta Warriors") is a collection of 8,000 clay warriors and horses which were discovered in 1974 next to the mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, who died in 210 BCE, in Shaanxi province, China. According to curators of the tomb, there are tens of thousands more figures still to be uncovered.

The height of the warriors varies between 184-197cm (6ft-6ft 5in) according to rank, with Generals being the tallest. At this height, these model soldiers are a full foot taller than the average Chinese person of the period.

The Terracotta Army was specially commissioned by the Emperor shortly after he took over in 247 BCE. Work started on the mausoleum in about 246 BCE and is reckoned to have taken 38 years to complete, using 700,000 workers. The function of the interred army was to help the Emperor rule in the afterlife.

Each of the 8,000 terracotta warriors is unique, with a different face and facial expression, and they vary in uniform and hairstyle in accordance with rank. Archeologists believe that they were manufactured in workshops by government labourers and local craftsmen. After completion, the figures were positioned in the tomb along with real weapons and body armour (subsequently stolen) in precise military formation.

Evidence suggests that a large fire broke out in the tomb area housing the army. This was allegedly started by General Xiang Yu, whose soldiers raided the tomb five years after the death of the Emperor. In addition, despite strenuous efforts by Chinese archeologists, the Terracotta Army is deteriorating due to mould caused by heat and humidity and exposure to oxygen. The impact of tourist visitors on the condition of the site is also a problem.

Much excavation work remains to be done on the remainder of the site. The Imperial mausoleum has yet to be unearthed, along with the contents of many subterranean rooms and passageways.

Although by far the largest find of its kind, the Chinese Terracotta Warriors are not the only Iron Age clay figures which archeologists have discovered. Individuals and groups of terracotta figures have been excavated in Greece, Etruria in Italy, Crete and Cyprus.

Note: The term terra-cotta derives from the Italian for "baked earth". It applies to any kind of fired clay, although usually it refers to any object made from low-grade clay that when baked assumes a sort of dull ochre colour. Terra-cotta objects are usually left unglazed.

• For more about Asian visual arts, see: Japanese Art, and the Painting and Sculpture of India.
• For other art styles, movements and periods, see: History of Art.
• For facts about ceramics and pottery in the 32 counties, see: Irish Art: Visual Arts in Ireland

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