Terra Cotta Fun Facts...

1. The Terra Cotta Soldiers were only discovered 30 years ago.
2. In the 1970’s, there was a farmer who was digging a well, and as he was digging, he came upon the Terra Cotta Soldiers! Because of his discovery it is said that today and forever, the farmer and his family have great luck and are very fortunate.
   
3. There are actually 3 pits of Terra Cotta Soldiers – each one displaying something different. Pit 1 is the most famous and well known, this is where the army of the Terra Cotta Warriors is displayed. Pit 2 is the smallest, deepest, and most well excavated of the 3 pits. Pit 2 displays warriors, generals, and officers. Pit 3 is made of mostly cavalry men, chariots, and horses, most of which are yet to be “discovered” and still lie underground.
   
4. When the Terra Cotta Soldiers in Pit 2 were found, it was very evident that they had been painted. The faces were pink, shoes were black, the socks were white, and the armor was very colorful! But, as the minerals that were used to paint the soldiers have been extracted and exposed to oxygen the color has completely faded.
   
5. The Terra Cotta Soldiers are all still in their original pit that they were found, about 20 feet below where tourists can stand and view, so I wasn’t able to get very close to them.
   
6. Pit 1, the most well known pit of Terra Cotta Soldiers, it is the size of 2 football fields, and is said to have 6000 warriors. However, many of the warriors are in fragments or still yet to be discovered.
   
7. The pictures of the many, many complete Terra Cotta Soldiers that you see are only about a quarter of the entire excavation site in Pit 1.
   
8. All the soldiers were made with hollow bodies, solid legs and solid arms. All of the heads of the Terra Cotta Soldiers are removable, and many of the soldiers are head-less. The heads of the Terra Cotta Soldiers are solid.
   
9. Each face of the Terra Cotta Soldiers is different.
   
10. The weapons that have been found with the Terra Cotta Soldiers, are actual weapons. They are made of bronze and medal.
    
11. The Terra Cotta Soldiers were made by Emperor Qin, who started making them when he was about 12 years old, so that when he died, he would be forever protected in the afterlife.
    
12. The hair of the Terra Cotta Soldiers symbolizes rank - 1 bun is a soldier, 2 buns is an officer, a square bun is a general.