n 1974, farmers digging a well in China’s Shaanxi province stumbled upon fragments of a life-size clay figure crafted in the shape of a battle-ready soldier. Subsequent excavations revealed a stunning, now-iconic archaeological discovery: an army of “terracotta warriors,” each rendered with unique traits some 2,000 years ago.
The clay army flanks the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, whose short but formidable reign lasted from 221 to 210 B.C. Archaeologists estimate that some 7,000 warriors, more than 2,000 of which have since been excavated, were interred alongside the emperor. Now, the state-run Xinhua news agency has announced the discovery of an additional 200 soldiers, as well as a large number of weapons, in the emperor’s tomb.
The finds were made over the course of the 10-year excavation of “No. 1 Pit,” the largest of three major pits containing the fascinating figures. (A fourth pit discovered during early digs turned out to be empty, suggesting the burial project was abandoned before it could be finished.)
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