The tomb of the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, and his terracotta army is one of the most fascinating tomb sites in the history of Chinese archaeology. The tomb of the First Emperor of China, who died in 210 BCE, was never excavated, but in the 1970s three pits were found nearby that contained a terracotta army. These pits contained over 8,000 life-size terracotta warriors lined up in trenches in military formation. The terracotta warriors look like they are individualized, but we explain why this is just an illusion! Learn how the sculptures were made and about their function in the afterlife of the First Emperor of China in this detailed video about the terracotta army.

This video is perfect for anyone looking to learn more about:

• The Terracotta Army

• Early China

• Early Chinese Art

• The First Emperor of China

• AP Art History

Speaker: Dr. Cortney Chaffin Kim

CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction

0:13 Qin Shi Huangdi

0:59 The terracotta army pits

2:00 The terracotta soldiers and how they were made

4:52 Function of the terracotta army

Learn more

• See all of our AP Art History resources: https://www.artsq.org/ap-art-history-resources

• Learn more about Early Imperial China: https://www.artsq.org/early-imperial-china

• Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history