Xciting Xian Terra Cotta Xperience

On Monday, 11/3, we got the opportunity to go to the Terra Cotta Warriors site. I had read that it's considered the 8th Wonder of the World. It was pretty special to be and see the Warriors. There are 4 "pit" sights, an exhibition hall and a site where the Emperors tomb is.

Family in front of Pit 1 building. Pit 1 is where the well is that the farmer was digging when he discovered the remains 40 years ago. This is an on going project and archeologists are still working and uncovering

Pit 1 is the biggest of all the pits and has the "Hospital". By Ev and I are the soldiers ready to go back into the pits. Ethan is by the explanation of the tile floors. Elijah is by uncovered site in pit 1. Bottom right is solders partially put back together.

 The "Hospital" is where the clay warriors are put back together. This was all built around 200BC or older and with over 2300 years of sitting and being robbed and plundered and burnt before being uncovered all the statues but one that they have found so far have been in pieces and they have to put them back together again in the hospital. A cool thing is that the tile floors are original and that the feet of the soldiers have maintained being in place so they can tell what formations they were in.

Pit 2. This is where the only fully intact soldier was found, a kneeling archer and they were able to preserve the color. Pit 2 is still mostly covered. They will uncover when pit 1 is complete.

Pit 2, front of fully intact kneeling archer, back of kneeling archer showing color and detail of shoe tread. Covered site, Weapons found. Staining archer with boys in background. A Charioteer and his horse. The middle is part of the dig site.

Pit 3 they think is a representation of a meeting since the guards are all facing each other and is small compared to pit 1 and 2. Pit 4 is just a marking outside they have determined that there was nothing placed in pit 4, that it was left uncompleted.

Top pic is the right side of dig put back together. Bottom pic is left side not put back. Middle left pic is of the front and middle right is of the back with the chariot.

 The exhibition hall was showing the colored soldiers that they were able to preserve. Since it's the 40 year anniversary it was open to the public.

Going clockwise..Soldier with green face, the only one green, no one knows why. The black eyes, that is how all the eyes are found, but with the air the paint peels and flakes. Purple arms of a soldier. The different hair styles of the soldiers. Ethan with acrobats! The Emperor wanted everything in his afterlife, even entertainment.

 After going through the pits and Exhibition hall, leaving our tour guide Cindi, we ventured to the Emperors tomb. The tomb is not uncovered and at this point doesn't sound  like it ever will be. They want to leave it preserved and maybe eventually get cameras in there.

Clockwise...Family pic with Cindi our tour guide. Original Bronze chariot uncovered by tomb, it is half the size of real chariot. Vibrant colors of soldiers, of what they are supposed to be. The boys at the Emperors tomb monument. Boys with the tomb in the background to the right.

That was our day at the Terra Cotta Warriors. We had a good time and spent a good 4 hours there. More on the last part of our trip tomorrow.
P.S.--Something neat...the farmer that found the site is still alive and signs autographs if you buy a book. He is 71 and doesn't like his picture taken, hence why we don't have a picture. ALSO, back in 2006, before they had the law about NOT going into the pit, a German Art Student decided that he would go down and pose as a soldier. Can you see him?   ;o)  Now there is a law that prohibits anyone entering the pit unless authorized.