Witness History
Witness History
Discovering the Terracotta Army
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March 21, 2024
9 minutes
Available for over a year
It's 50 years since a chance find by Chinese farmers led to an astonishing archaeological discovery.
Thousands of clay soldiers were uncovered in the province of Shaanxi after being buried for more than 2,000 years.
They were guarding the tomb of the ancient ruler Qin Shi Huang, who ruled the Qin Dynasty.
In 2013, archaeologists Yuan Zhongyi and Xiuzhen Li told Rebecca Kesby about the magnitude of the dig, and how unearthing the incredible statues shaped their careers.
(Photo: Terracotta soldiers stand to attention. Credit Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group/Getty Images)