I wasn't a fan of terra cotta till today

Because today I saw that you can use it to do much more interesting things than plant pots and roof tiles.

The terracotta army at Xi An dates to 200 BC, and President of Chirac of France once called it the 8th wonder of the world. He may have been angling for some big contracts, and hence, he said things to please, but he was certainly not exaggerating too much.

First, the army is massive, 8000 soldiers all about 20% taller than life size, of which 1800 are currently on display at thier iriginal location.

Secondly, the sculptures are refined. Each one is unique, and the level of detail, right down to the soles of the shoes having intricate treads, is quite astonishing.

The motivation for the army, as guards for the emperor in the afterlife, is similar to that of the ancient Egyptians our guide Mary tells us. She also explains that the craftsmen who made the terracotta soldiers were maybe motivated to do a very good job because the penalty for poor work was death.

Unfortunately for even the good ones their work often ended in a horrendous death because the emperor wanted to keep the whole thing secret, so when he dies a lot of craftsmen were entombed alive and poised with mercury.

So now, when I think of terra cotta, I have a whole new perspective.

It's really special, goes on my list of highly recommended.Read more