Archaeologists studying China’s famous “Terracotta Army” have discovered what they believe to be a rare life-size statue of a high-ranking military officer.
The ornate figure, discovered in the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi in China’s Shaanxi Province, is only the tenth of its kind among thousands of terracotta statues that have so far been discovered at the site.
“These decorations on high-ranking officers denote how special they are. The style and color of the decorations reflect the aesthetic taste and social status symbols of the time,” Janice Li, an archaeologist at Oxford University and former chief archaeologist at the Emperor’s Mausoleum Museum, told Xiuzhen Qin Shi Huangdi, reports Noi.md with reference to .
It is said that the figure was discovered along with the remains of two chariots, three clay horses and two additional figurines, providing new information about the organizational structure of the ancient army.
“The arrangement of high-ranking officers in the military formation reflected the military strategy, such as the Qin Dynasty command system,” Li said.
The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 during the construction of a well in northwestern China. 50 years after its discovery, archaeologists have found about 2,000 Terracotta Soldiers, although experts have estimated there could be as many as 8,000 across the three sites. The figurines were buried with crossbows, spears and swords and are believed to have been built to protect China’s first emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (who lived between 259 BC and 210 BC) in the afterlife.
