Have You Heard of the Terra Cotta Warriors?

The year is 225 B. C. Imagine being a foot soldier in the army of the first and most powerful Chinese emperor, Qin Shihuangdi. You and your companions are fearless and proud warriors, numbering over 7000 strong, including horse drawn chariots. Your enormous army makes a thunderous noise as you march into battle! You crush all the foes that stand in his way and make his dynasty the largest and most powerful in the history of China.

You and your fellow warriors proudly protected Qin Shihuangdi during his life. Now he has commissioned over 1000 artisans to build your likeness out of clay to be his guardians in the afterlife. In addition, He has commissioned clay officials and entertainers, as well as exotic metal birds to amuse him in the afterlife and accompany you, his terra cotta warriors.

In accordance with tradition, work on Emperor Qin Shihuangdi's tomb first begins in 246 B. C., the year he turns 13 and takes over rule after his father's death. When the Emperor orders the terra cotta warriors to be added, it takes 36 years in all to finish the monumental task of completing his burial tomb.

The tomb of powerful Emperor Qin Shihuangdi is rumored to be one of the most lavish in the ancient world, complete with underground rivers simulated with quick flowing, glimmering mercury. The addition of over 7000 terra cotta warriors only adds to the tomb's remarkable mystique. The results are eerie and breathtaking, as each warrior and horse is unique and lifelike. This terra cotta army buried underground will protect Qin Shihuangdi's tomb for eternity. It is a formidable monument to the absolute authority and prestige he manifested during his lifetime.

For over 2,200 years, the giant army lay buried underground. Then, in 1974, farmers accidentally stumbled upon the buried terra cotta head of one of the warriors approximately 20 miles east of the city of Xi'an. This lead to the rediscovery of the entire army - arguably one of the 20^th century's most important archeological finds. Since then, over 1000 figures have been excavated and restored. It will take many more years to restore all of the terra cotta warriors!

The over 7000 terra cotta warriors, hundreds of chariots and horses, and thousands of weapons were buried in marching formations that cover more than19 square miles in front of Qin Shihuangdi's tomb. Each figure stands six feet tall and weighs between 300 and 400 lbs. The terra cotta warriors are made of clay and ground quartz, fired at extremely high temperatures to give them the strength that has enabled them to last for over 2,200 years!

Rediscovering the terra cotta warriors is not merely a feat of excavation. It is believed that much of the terra cotta army was vandalized after Emperor Qin Shihuangdi's death in 210 B. C. Many of the terra cotta warriors, chariots and horses were smashed into pieces. The archeologists and restoration team at the site painstakingly put each figure back together from the fragments buried there.

The Terra Cotta Warrior Exhibit at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D. C. opened on November 19, 2009 and will run until March 31, 2010. The exhibit has been on loan to the United States for the last two years and was previously in Houston, Texas. The National Geographic Museum tour is the last stop for the exhibit on its two year tour in the United States.

The exhibit consists of 15 terra cotta warriors and numerous other articles including horses, armor, arrows and swords. It represents the largest collection of Chinese artifacts to ever be assembled for viewing in the U. S.

Adult ticket prices are $12 and $10 for senior citizens age 62 and older. Tickets for children ages 2-12 are $6. Group rates are also available. You can purchase online, print-at-home tickets here. There is an additional $2.50 handling fee for each online ticket purchased.

You can also order by phone and pay for tickets by credit card. There is a $3 handling fee charged for each ticket purchased by phone. The number is (202) 857-7700. Operators are available M-F, 9-5 p.m. Eastern Time.

No handling fee is charged if you purchase tickets in person at the National Geographic Society ticket office in Washington, D. C., but you run the risk of not being able to get in when you want to, as many dates are already pre-booked for this fascinating exhibit of the terra cotta warriors!

The Terra Cotta Warrior Exhibit is a self-guided tour that takes about an hour to go through. However, you can purchase audio tour tickets for an additional $5 each, to have an audio explanation of what you are seeing as you move through the exhibit. There is a short excerpt from the audio file on the ticket site that you can listen to. It's definitely worth paying the extra $5 for.

If you have the opportunity, don't miss this awe-inspiring exhibit of the terra cotta warriors - one of the most important archeological finds of the 20^th century!

Sources:

1. "Terra Cotta Warriors, Exhibition, Schedule, Photos, Information," National Geographic, nationalgeographic.com/terracottawarriors/tickets.html.

2. Terra Cotta Warriors, Guardians of China's First Emperor Exhibition eGuide, National Geographic Museum, 2009.

3. "Qin Shi Huang," china-travel-golden-route.com/qin_shi_huang.html.