and the emperor’s tomb. They made
the clay soldiers by hand. First, they
built the soldiers’ bodies. Then they
added unique details. They added
heads, hats, mustaches and ears.
Each soldier was given his own facial
expression. Each was positioned
by rank. Patches of paint suggest
that they once had brightly-colored
clothing. Swords, arrow tips, and
other weapons have been found in
the excavations.
So far, three vaults holding parts
of the Terracotta Army have been
uncovered. The Terracotta Army is
one of China’s greatest attractions.
40
Estimated number of
years it took to complete
the Terracotta Army.
• The Terracotta Army was
buried for more than
2,000 years.
• Archaeologists believe
that the Chinese created
the clay soldiers to
accompany their emperor
into the afterlife.
• Artisans added details
to make each soldier
unique.
Pit 1 of the tomb
is believed to hold up
to 8,000 terracotta
warriors.
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