Shih Huang-ti of Chi'in, the first
emperor to unite China and the
man who started the construction
of the Great Wall of China,
prepared for his death and
burial on a scale rivaled only
the kings of ancient Egypt. But
instead of a towering pyramid,
Shih Huang-ti constructed a 20-
square mile compound containing
a virtual city of terra cotta
and bronze.
The compound was discovered in
1974, by a group of farmers drill-
ing a well. The first discovery was
a chamber containing an "army" of
more than 6,000 life-size warriors
and horses made from terra cotta.
Each of the once brightly painted
clay warriors is unique. They
were probably modeled from real
soldiers in Shih Huang-ti's real-
life guard. The ranks of these
final guardians face east, the
direction from which the
emperor's enemies came.
Nearby chambers in the compound
explored by archaeologists contain
ceramic figures representing
chariots, cavalrymen, archers,
and infantrymen, along with
farm implements, weapons, and
a terra cotta zoo.
