The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, is a well of surprises. The famous terracotta warriors emerged from its depths. They were discovered during irrigation supply works near Xian, in the province of Shaanxii. But those more than 8,000 life-size figures were just the tip of the iceberg.
Now, a new batch of relics has been found in one of the tomb holes of the man who managed to unify China in the year 221 BC, ending the conflictive final period of the feudal states, which were constantly at war with each other. .
Archaeologists have discovered a four-wheeled wooden carriage that has been perfectly buried underground for more than 2,000 years. The total length of the wagon is 7.2 meters and its hood was found to be painted with very colorful designs.
Along with the carriage, animal remains, horse items, and remains of different types of wooden carts were also found scattered around the place. “It is very likely that the vehicle was a hearse that was used to transport coffins in ancient times,” revealed Jiang Wenxiao, director of the excavation.
Jiang also highlighted, in a statement on the website of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum, that this four-wheeled carriage discovered along with other remains of wagons has revealed a "very rare funerary tradition" that took place during the Qin Dynasty. (which lasted between the year 221 and 206 BC).
"It provides us with new inspiration to analyze the funerary traditions of this dynasty, especially the high-grade Qin tomb system," he said. Not only the main body of the wagon, but also the bronze fittings that were used to connect the different wooden parts of the vehicle were kept intact.
Archaeologist Lu Zhaojun explained to the Global Times that the carriage's good condition can be attributed to the fact that the site "had not been disturbed by tomb robbers." "To be able to detect finds of this type requires archaeological knowledge and a thorough excavation plan. This may also have been an excessive demand for the thieves," he noted.
In addition to the carriage, a large number of relics made of ceramics, bronze, jade, gold and silver were also discovered in the well, which began to be excavated in 2013. In previous campaigns at the site, more than 200 human figures created with unique techniques and 16 terracotta horses were discovered.
The arms of these sculptures were made independently of their main bodies. Those works of art were later connected to the main bodies by thin layers of clay placed on them. Along with the figures there were weapons such as shields for defense and swords.
