No Neck

This doesn’t feel like it’s made from terracotta. It’s very heavy and hard. I’m thinking that it’s probably some kind of a metal. It’s not very comfortable to stand in here either. It’sLeia mais
Inside the Factory

After everyone was done taking pictures with the figures standing outside, we were ready to go in and see how they get made. This should be interesting!
Hard at Work

I was expecting for the workers to talk to us and explain what they were doing but they seemed oblivious to our coming in to visit them. They probably don’t speak any English, but still, it felt oddLeia mais
Molds

This is where it all starts. A high quality clay is put into these molds and left to harden. These molds have already been filled with clay. The flat base of the figure can be seen through the openingLeia mais
Making Warriors

Here’s a video that Kathy shot showing how these figures are made with a bit more detail. I need to shoot more videos. I’m always so intent on taking pictures that I forget about videos.
Working Hard

The staff here seems to work very hard on tedious and repetitive tasks. I feel bad for them. I hope that they are being paid well for their labors but I’m guessing that their probably not. That’s sad.
Finished Products

Here’s what the finished figures look like. What an amazing likeness! I really like these little warriors and would like to get at least one to take home with us.
Mini Warriors

With nothing in the photo to show a sense of scale, these little guys could pass as the real terracotta warriors. I picked out two to bring home with me. Thankfully, they were very securely wrappedLeia mais
Two is Enough

After getting my two little warriors, we were looking at some of the larger life sized statues and I remarked how it would look nice in front of our house. The salesman must have heard us because theyLeia mais
One Last Look

With one last and lingering look at the making of mini terracotta warriors, we’re ready to go and see the real thing. I wonder if either of these ladies worked on my pair of little soldiers?
A Walk in the Park

We made it to the site of the Terracotta Warriors and we’re walking through what seems to be a park to get there. I’m so excited that I’ll be seeing them but I’m puzzled as to why the parkingLeia mais
Terracotta Army

In March 1974, a group of peasants digging a well in drought-parched Shaanxi province in northwest China unearthed fragments of a clay figure—the first evidence of what would turn out to be one ofLeia mais
Terracotta Soldiers

Near the unexcavated tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi—who had proclaimed himself first emperor of China in 221 B.C.— is an extraordinary underground treasure: an entire army of life-size terra cottaLeia mais
Headless Soldiers

I’m seeing a lot of the terracotta warriors are incomplete. The parts that are missing are mostly the heads. Seeing that the heads seem to be separate pieces, that makes sense.
So Many Figures

The Terracotta Army consists of over 8,000 man-made soldier figures, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses who were all buried with the First Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huang) in in 210-209Leia mais
On and On

These figures seem to go on and on. There’s so many more of them than I ever imagined. They are so well preserved, too!
Noble Steeds

So many soldiers need a way to get around so a whole herd of terracotta horses have been found alongside the many terracotta warriors.
Such Details

These figures are so well made and so detailed that, from a distance, they look like real people. I’m so amazed by the craftsmanship that went into making these figures.
All Different

It’s amazing that, despite there being so many of the terracotta soldiers, each one has a unique and different face. The amount of work that went into creating these figures is amazing!
The Lay of the Land

This is what the terracotta warriors area looks like. It looks like they are being excavated in rows that have been dug into the ground. I wonder if there are more figures in the areas that haven’tLeia mais
Excavations

I’ve never been to an active archeological excavation site before and, I must admit, it’s very exciting. It makes me feel like I’m participating in an important part of history.
The Queue

These statues look like real people waiting to go somewhere or maybe standing on a line. I’m amazed by how realistic each one looks!
Newly Restored

These figures look like they are being prepared for display. I’m thinking that these must be the newest ones to be excavated from the digging site. It must be amazing to work on recovering theseLeia mais
Under Cover

The whole excavation site is covered by what looks like an aircraft hanger. It makes sense to keep this site covered up. This way, the figures are protected from the weather, sunlight and humidity.
Such a Big Site!

Although you can’t really tell from the photos here so far, this place is huge! It’s so big, in fact. That I had to use the fisheye lens to capture it all in a single frame. Over our time here, weLeia mais