Terracotta Army: The greatest archaeological find of the 20th century - BBC News

In March 1974, Chinese farmers digging a well unearthed the greatest archaeological find of the century - the buried Terracotta Army. After coming across a life-sized human head made of clay in Xi’an, China, archaeologists were called in to investigate. What they found was extraordinary. Thousands of life-like terracotta figures from the Qin dynasty, fashioned 2,000 years ago to protect the First Emperor of China in the afterlife. Archaeologist Li Xiuzhen has worked on the site since the 1980s. Her team was the first to discover that each warrior was originally painted in bright colours.
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[@momentary_]

China is fortunate that they found these in 1974 and not earlier. The British would have taken them if they were discovered earlier.

[@maeshimaryou9645]

China was also fortunate too have discovered these in 1974 and not a few years earlier otherwise they would've been dragged around like the Wanli emperor

[@user-cf7ht1uk5x]

EnnesX Thats bull shit，they read our instructions to hardly maintain our treasury that they robbed to British museum.

[@duncanschepel7737]

@@user-cf7ht1uk5x it's called free speech, in western society it's perfectly allowed to criticize your own country, and it's a good thing too

[@Nyx-kb7ze]

@@user-cf7ht1uk5x based

[@user-cf7ht1uk5x]

Maximus Shinejil Wow, Look at him, feeling so civilized to say this. Firstly people slander everywhere without even knowing or respecting the history, then bunch of people just buy his nonsense and confuse libel with criticism. Finally a lovely ‘civilized’ gentleman came from nowhere start to bite people with his unbrushed tooth. What’s going on in your ‘civilized and well-educated’ world?

[@mondasiancyberman1268]

The Terracotta Warriors are the thing I absolutely wanna see before I die.

[@jcole3147]

www.pennlive.com/life/2017/08/terracotta_warriors_franklin_i.html

[@georgialeighjohnson7312]

Mondasian Cyberman They're currently in the Liverpool World Museum, I'm going to see them soon. The expedition is on until October, if you're nearby then you should definitely consider going.

[@Ibrahim-xu6dt]

i agree

[@user-qu1dc8zj5c]

I saw lots of foreign tourists in XIAN.

[@JulieWallis1963]

Mondasian Cyberman they are coming to Liverpool later this year.

[@Enterthemind1]

We don't give a lot of the ancient civilizations enough credit. They were much more advanced than what we have been told.

[@taibayasmeen5714]

u suck

[@keiferpadilla5165]

God is trash

[@JOSH-qx7fm]

@@keiferpadilla5165 why did you say that??

[@keiferpadilla5165]

Enterthemind1 everything is one

[@purpleey]

@@keiferpadilla5165 no u

[@carterhicks7441]

ancient Chinese craftsmanship is simply incredible and so advanced for its time. I love this stuff.

[@dulcenicolle2827]

It's a strange thing to say "advanced for its time" and the reason we have access to what we have today is precisely because of the technology of the past.

[@ethancmatias3164]

China has an spectacular culture.

[@Defaultname0000]

Other than the fact that you can't criticize your government and you only have one party on the ballot paper, yeah, it is quite cool.

[@Wolfangs88]

Defaultname0000 culture =/= government

[@Defaultname0000]

You're right, my bad :)

[@ethancmatias3164]

Defaultname0000 The government of a country doesn't define your people

[@SpL-mu5zu]

The truth is that we can criticize our government, you must only watch BBC....

[@Pulsonar]

It’s completely breathtaking, not even a Spielberg movie could dream up an archaeological artefact of thjs spectacular magnitude. 8000 figures, 130 chariots, 520 horses in over 25,000 Sq metres! They believe it’s only a tiny part of a much larger ancient complex. Chinese hearts must’ve been bursting with honour and pride after the first exhibition was opened to the public in 1975, just 1 year after the Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974.

[@patfromamboy]

All life size too. I keep thinking of them as miniatures. The workers were interred with the warriors. I’m curious if they were happy about that.

[@patfromamboy]

All life size too. I keep thinking of them as miniatures. The workers were interred with the warriors. I’m curious if they were happy about that.

[@larliu1328]

For technical reasons, this is only a small part of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, and most of them have not yet been excavated.

[@y7714]

I really respect my Chinese ancestors from 1000 years ago. Thanks them for creating such beautiful traditional Chinese cultures.

[@aniksinha6409]

Do you want to buy terracotta statue ???

[@dttth7192]

Yes, 2000 years ago,

[@trevorsaunar3158]

Tell your Chinese leaders now to stop invading other countries

[@giorgo1990ify]

No Not the mongols ... This Make the Dayuans the great yuan

[@Amir-oy8vm]

I agree, but now its all communist

[@surayah3623]

I had been wanting to see this for ages, and finally got my chance recently. I was there on March 20, 2019. It was spectacular!

[@mrsnovi4christ]

where is the closest international airport? thanks

[@Kingsley266]

Bing xi an airport in the city of xi an

[@Gingnose]

Spectacular Sepulchre!

[@ianvasquez9367]

where again?

[@miaomiaochan]

As someone of Chinese descent, I feel as if it's my duty to see this place at least once in my life.

[@bgtcsjm]

Lol, but they're interesting nonetheless

[@andy-xz2uk]

and eat dogs

[@Hellohi4986]

@@andy-xz2uk too old bro, we chinese eat bats now (im chinese)

[@letisriva8581]

@@Hellohi4986 we Chinese people eat whatever they claimed we eat😅

[@oooO-id9hm]

​@@andy-xz2uk 大部分中国人不吃狗！东南亚人，韩国人也吃狗，你为什么不说？因为你头脑简单，被西方媒体洗脑和控制！😂

[@jeffreyshowell1]

I met that women she is a tour guide there. Yes a must go see again someday.

[@fumikaoda]

It's over thousands of years and still intact it amazes me

[@hehe-ts7gg]

并不完好，基本上都是碎片重新修复的。 只有几个是完好无损的，刚出土时这些兵马俑都是有颜色的，很快颜色就消失了

[@AnnoyingDonkey42]

Still amazing to see any of them surviving! ​@@hehe-ts7gg

[@quazar4773]

Can we talk about how something this amazing was lost and hidden through time. With how big the world is, there must be so many things we have yet to discover of the past.

[@TheBilayer]

When I visit the terracotta site a rush of goosebumps hit me, as I felt a word "majestic" float out my mind. The area that the lady is interviewing is as big as 4 football field.

[@ynnalyl6195]

Imagine if they became alive and restore the Qing Dynasty

[@powerslave6944]

@@ynnalyl6195 lol 😂 don’t forget those Terracotta warriors are quite taller than present day humans as I noticed when the lady walks along them. Assuming if that was their real life height that is.

[@boonxai]

@@powerslave6944 Most are like 6 ft tall, she's just a Chinese woman that's why they seem so tall lol. There are some that are like 6'7" though, but only a few that are generals

[@williamnguyen3052]

@@ynnalyl6195 it’s the qin, not the qing bro. The qing is the very last dynasty that was from manchu regio

[@liankaiyang9135]

@@ynnalyl6195 他们是秦朝的士兵，为什么会复辟清朝呢😂

[@rochaisabela]

I remember seeing them when I was seven at São Paulo! I remember the goosebumps I felt all over standing by those!

[@juril001]

They really are impressive in person. We just got back from there a few months ago. This video is what I thought visiting the Terracotta Warriors would be like, a peaceful reflection on history. The real experience is a little more like Disney World. Lots of tour groups, ridiculous crowds and fake terracotta warrior photo ops. Even still you can't help be impressed by the artistry and the shear number of sculpted figures.

[@TheCompdept]

No, it sounds like a real experience was that you got to travel around the world and see things that the actual discovers of the farmers who found it got kicked off their land robbed up their happiness and left in poverty until they died over. But I'm really glad you got your photo op. Hope you continue to fly around the world, enjoying all the struggles of everyone else's life. That's also not forget the 700,000 people who are forced to make this until they died. But hey, as long as it helped you out right

[@EVOxGEORGEx]

@@TheCompdept calm down lad

[@TheCompdept]

@@EVOxGEORGEx why? Your mother loves what I can do with all this energy. Thou may ingest a satchel of richards

[@ithinilben4672]

And the most surprising thing is that this is only an additional burial site. The main tomb where the corpse of the emporor is buried, is the underground palace and thats way bigger than this.

[@zebraimage]

James Johnson Yes. And it has never been touched. According to Chinese laws, no emperor’s tomb is allowed to be dug even for archeology purpose, unless it’s already been damaged by grave robber. So nobody knows what the underground palace is like and we all have to imagine.

[@roguegirl29]

@@zebraimage Emperor Qin's mausoleum can't be excavated anyways because of the high levels of mercury in the soil.

[@hehe-ts7gg]

@@roguegirl29 其实只要做好防护措施可以挖掘，只是中国法律不允许

[@sugaray7435]

It looks amazing now imagine what it looked like when it was first finished...

[@asianamericancasestudies6434]

Imagine being the farmer who found the head, and then army of first emperor.

[@HenriWeahengERSaysHelloToWorld]

When they were first finalized, they were colourful. But unfortunately, they are now looked like deadly statues.

[@demonzakariaalphadragongre8481]

Look nome of these pale skin people are not Asians, these warriors are dark skinned brothas that these people claim to be, when truly they what to hide and say these are them, when truly the original Asians of China and Japan and Korea and Thailand and other places are dark skinned brothas and sistas, these pale skin took the names of our kin folks amd didn't want to accept there original name which is 'Orientals' there is a book that tell them that they are 'Orientals' sista don't be fool you better look up black Asians or look up hidden colors 1 & 2 because threw that you will other thing's there too.

[@demonzakariaalphadragongre8481]

@@HenriWeahengERSaysHelloToWorld Not the armor one's, plus what you 'Orientals' looking at here are dark skinned brothas.

[@demonzakariaalphadragongre8481]

@@asianamericancasestudies6434 What you also looking at the first Emperor are dark skinned brothas Which they are call negritos, and yall people are 'Orientals' not Asians like my kin folks in these lands.

[@mstwelvedeadlycyns]

Coolest set of statues ever in history! So precise and attention to detail! Didn't just happen over night!!!!

[@winelord]

There are 8,000 figures plus 500 horses and 130 chariots, that's so mad

[@mariaelda6271]

Certainly did not happen overnight as experts estimate that it took 700,00 labourers about 40 years for the whole burial site to complete. Emperor Qin (pronounced "Chin") was only 12 years old when he ruled China (the country's name was derived after him). He was the very first emperor and and his dynasty lasted about 35 years.

[@lemonarry]

Very sadly, though, when one of the Terrecotta soldiers was sent to a museum in the USA (Philadelphia, I think) for exhibition a few months ago, an American took a thumb off the solider and took it home. Most Americans aren't aware of the event because US media was too embarrassed to report...

[@100fakts8]

Chinese tourists do stuff like that too.

[@xinyiquan666]

@@100fakts8 NO, ONLY murican

[@flowershroud]

I was blessed to see these sculptures when they were on display in D.C. back in 2010. Seeing them in person is really incredible- and I actually hadn’t known about the fact they were all painted until I saw this video! The little ‘recreation’ of giving color back to their clothing really made me think how they must have looked long, long ago.

[@TheCompdept]

700,000 people got the crap kicked out of them to make these things and the seven farmers that found it got paid. Not a single penny fact they got kicked off of their land and died in poverty. I'm glad you can appreciate the artistic integrity here. Hope you're continuing to be awesomely American!

[@larliu1328]

The moment it is dug out is really colored, but it fades immediately after exposure to oxygen.

[@judyvalencia3257]

I remember when this was discovered. Still in Awe!

[@ericzheng4815]

I saw them this Monday. These warriors looked so much more magnificent in person. The museum provides an English guide and I highly recommend it. Have fun in Xi'an!

[@ramchandrathakare8831]

I hv this strange feeling that this army is alive inside ...... 😁😁

[@hygog]

Ramchandra Thakare they joined the production of movie Attack of the clone and earn some bucks.

[@manugamanage6096]

There is a curse that if the emperor’s tomb is opened a great Plague will rise and 10,000 Terra-cotta warriors will rise to defend the emperorz

[@liam-fg1zc]

maybe it is the secret weapon our ancestors left to us for defending against aliens one day 🧐🧐

[@birungiracheal4798]

Your right anyone to help 🥺🥺 them and come back to normal life

[@birungiracheal4798]

They open the tomb

[@georgefinch8835]

I was there 2 weeks ago!

[@warlord5285]

George Finch *24 likes 1 year to take a man to reply*

[@josiahsegovia9248]

Cool

[@cooliipie]

I was too

[@surayah3623]

So was I, 2 weeks ago!

[@adityashaw3198]

If I ever pay them a visit, I would surely reply 😁

[@YZ450f24]

She speaks English well enough they need subtitles only for people who are too lazy to understand what she's saying

[@Defaultname0000]

Or for people who can't hear?

[@jesusvermillionthemereoleo5660]

SirWilliamSquireVonDutchMire i think the subtitles are for deaf people

[@kokostillwell4034]

How many languages can you speak?

[@vincentkennedymcmahon1509]

SirWilliamSquireVonDutchMire reading when you don’t have to doesn’t make you lazy

[@Imperial_Remnant]

Bruh. I understand English pretty well, but I will always prefer subtitle.

[@soklensim4979]

The cutest accent I’ve ever heard.

[@TheClevengers]

My husband, daughter and grandson were just here yesterday, 5/08/2024 and they said it was impactful. Incredible number of soldiers at the bottom of the mountain. They flew from Shanghai to Xi’an and they are so glad they got to see it.

[@rishikkanthravikumar6596]

Who's here after the latest ending theme of Kingdom anime?? Man, that was awesome. Hope someone makes a parody of it for other anime like imagine Vinland saga or Attack on Titan having a ED like this for their characters 🔥

[@jordansalvador2734]

Me. Man that ed was goosebumps

[@RexyGreenMentimun]

the ED so beautiful..

[@almightynova4095]

is the kingdom anime good? i plan on watching it but if its bad then ill read the manga instead

[@asfrstatuary3283]

Amazing statues forever, I so hope to visit someday!

[@eaglegamer2232]

This is amazing

[@how3080]

so amazing, how they made it so delicate

[@siadali7673]

absolutely fantastic

[@crouchingwombathiddenquoll5641]

Wow !!! Imagine the colour's of that army when new, brilliant. Thanks for the video.

[@vijayaraghavan5635]

I went to this place.. ..the statues were beautiful....

[@slamdunk406]

I was just there. Definitely worth seeing.

[@a.j.8004]

Just learned in this video that they were originally painted bright colors that stuck to the soil. Never heard that before (always thought they were terra cotta colored). Learn something new every day!

[@TheChillOpinion]

Have fun guys till this army come alive and take over the world

[@alexaez2946]

One day just one day it will come alive

[@moch.farisdzulfiqar6123]

Don't worry Brendan Fraser will save us ;)

[@abc23123]

This was from a movie I forgot which one but it was so good

[@user-ur9yh8wi9c]

take your tanks

[@RMw1252]

One worrior must have been patted her ass.....

[@brocknspectre1221]

I can’t imagine how they managed to fire all this clay. The kilns must have been enormous.

[@juliangonzales5219]

Extremely fascinating

[@hamesh3474]

Really amazing.... would be excellent to see this

[@Saneserif]

imagine "night at the museum" happening there

[@manugamanage6096]

It might happen if the emperors tomb is opened, the curse say a Plague will be unleashed on earth and 10,000 Terra-cotta warriors will rise to defend the emperor and China.

[@jones8610]

@@manugamanage6096 open it then

[@mustafaamiri3277]

you will be killed because they are literally soldiers

[@jones8610]

@@mustafaamiri3277 we then all die. Good

[@annirachael3954]

I visited Liverpool's World Museum last week and saw the few they had there :) was so awesome. They are not there much longer, only until October 28th so if you're in the UK then go up to Liverpool!

[@SheilaTeng]

Amazing indeed

[@asharikanditerracotta]

Thanks for the info

[@Denden-io5rw]

i just wanna be an archaeologists after seeing this video. how amazing to find and know about something that exist thousands of years ago or evrn millions of years .i find this particular subject really fascinating, iam impressed

[@kaylawagner3295]

I recently saw a few of the Warriors in the Cincinnati Art Museum. There were also other artifacts. A very awe inspiring experience.

[@clvsidy]

Thank you

[@liverpoolzul]

If the ancient civilization can build well detailed human stones like this 3000 years ago, for sure they can make pyramids and temples

[@tmilholin7552]

definitely one of the top 5 man made wonders of the world. absolutely beautiful

[@ericarucker3994]

Awesome video

[@dreamlify8]

Phenomenal..

[@powerslave6944]

Can I become a Terracotta warrior some day? If I have a chance and money to visit China this is one of the 4 things I want to visit and see before I die. The other three are the Forbidden Gates, the Laoyou cave and Sanxingdui.

[@robbies7191]

welcome

[@yeetuz3386]

It’s all fun and games until the security guard sees them move at night

[@jeffreyogodogun285]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@johnnymoreno5065]

Ur thinking of night at the museum huh lmao😂😂😂😂💀

[@patfromamboy]

Amazing!

[@Deathjoker_]

so cool and interesting, gonna visit there for sure ....

[@EyFmS]

Be sure not to get scammed on your way there.

[@greer776611]

this kind of shit really blows my mind- wow- super cool

[@alexcarson9638]

The Chinese ppl are so lucky to have rich history Vancouver is most beautiful city a lot like China.

[@Saiputera]

Not even close

[@rayjonest.v7258]

Great history lesson taught.

[@demonzakariaalphadragongre8481]

Guess what these Asian warriors are our brothas dark skinned you should look up black Asians or look up 'hidden colors 1 & 2.

[@srini9653]

I'm Indian but I tell these stories to the my daughter so that we can celebrate what was the past.

[@vaibhavsingh1707]

I think i am the only one here to admit that these are just like who were told in a part of " The Mummy " movie .. Greatt 👌🙏

[@birungiracheal4798]

Your right

[@fredferd965]

More than any other thing, the Terracotta Army is a message from the past to the future: In unison, they are all saying, "Do not forget us! We were Men! Do not ever forget what we were and do not forget the Emperor we still guard!"

[@themistisofficial]

amazing

[@klife-vr1be]

Awesome

[@oliverchu6946]

I hope I can see a day when Tomb of Qin is opened before I die

[@shuangshuang3572]

my hometown～

[@kevinanaks8554]

I have seen it, but I still can't comprehend it..

[@gerry2846]

My wife is Chinese, so we went to see all interesting items there, at least a start? There is so much to see!!! The Great Wall you have to see!!!

[@siddiq4854]

Welcome MG Squad

[@nishanthn6192]

🤣

[@hemlatagautam9530]

B-But I was able to make purple as a child by mixing red and blue..

[@jesusvermillionthemereoleo5660]

Hemlata Gautam They didn't have paint 2000 years ago, you dummy

[@snowxyy]

That makes me think of making a blue child like srsly what if we could squirt in some paint in an pregnant woman like some paint in the developing child and it will became widow maker when I pops out

[@zlz95]

At that time when this tomb was being built human had not even invented paper.

[@user-tl5pf7wu7y]

Hemlata Gautam Son，actually those terracotta warriors had been colorful when they were found，it only cost about 4 minutes to turn them grey，you know，the oxidation.

[@kuridog638]

@@jesusvermillionthemereoleo5660 True, but they used alternative things like paint when paint wasn't a thing

[@kalkali1725]

Really unique

[@tippersteffi1]

Been there in Xian, amazing

[@raviasmara]

Why I'm still believes that the army are mummies 🤣🤣 Just becauses that damn movie The Mummy...

[@SuperShaffner]

My four-year-old agreed. "Mommy, those are dead people."

[@dearally4787]

Saw an exhibit of the warriors when they were brought to the US a few years ago! Amazing

[@GoldieDawn]

Seen it in Edinburgh in the 80's. x :)

[@ghouskhan2712]

It is very amazing thing

[@JCMH]

These terracotta warriors were taller than the average chinese men.

[@wsxtgbujm581]

Maybe she's short... Eh

[@Titus13th]

It's the height of northern Chinese men.

[@fatihkull4857]

Maybe there arent chinese. THEY dont like Chinese maybe Hun

[@butterscotch1554]

I read an interesting documentary once on Chinese archaeology. Apparently up to a certain era many of the skeletons of Chinese man were taller (6 foot plus). But then about about 100AD the skeletons found were all noticeably shorter. The hypothesis in the documentary is that China had gone through so many years of continuous war, all the men who fits the military criteria (tall, fit etc) have all gone into mandatory conscription. Leaving those shorter ones to do the farming... and survived. interesting hypothesis. Whether this is true or not it's quite curious why the older skeletons (before 100AD) were all significantly taller. Interesting, no?

[@Titus13th]

Butt Erscotch it's that and also malnourished because of natural disaster and civil wars throughout the ages. You have to also put into the account that as China became more prosper throughout time the food they ate were more delicately made just to one up what came before, so Chinese people became more picky on what's good and what's not during their golden age of their dynasties instead of being less choosy as their western counterparts 8000 miles away.

[@sssxleoop9665]

Who else watching this after madan gowri video👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@rajnimurugan6842]

Me😀

[@blackdevil6921]

😉😉

[@nishanthn6192]

🤭

[@gqn2]

Not only they made each special but they also painted them.

[@divineawesomeawesome7895]

Such a marvel

[@eviltoe7432]

I would have said gobekli tepe is the greatest find of the 20th century.

[@deanmajid6979]

Did they really need subtitles for the woman speaking? Her english was fine

[@order66pizzas]

Deaf people

[@chromecastchu7685]

People in the world speak English with different accents, such as British English and American English, very different.

[@s.ahmadshah]

Are there identical sculptures? If not, were they real soldiers who became stone? It may sound ridiculous but think of the amount of work they have put to sculpt all those more than 8000 sculptures.

[@WorkofArtCommentGuy1012]

Best art craft on earth , no one of

[@xenhlay]

I’m Chinese and my family has told me we have a special surname well we had 2 we had our own country were are family many generations ago we had a king and then army’s started to attack us

[@rtjahyadi7868]

How could they build such enormous numbers of clay soldiers 3000 years ago?? And how did they mold the soldiers thousands years ago without 3d printers, or 3d software?? Unbelievably Amazing!!!

[@jacobbatchelor7877]

Have you never met an artist in your life lmao

[@Klentung8989]

Chinese is good at large scale manufacturing.... Like present day

[@mizsculonaah]

This soldier came out in the mummy movie 😍😍😍 I knew i have seen it before they are beautiful

[@carlplz00001]

Just wow 😯.

[@jagdeepkaul1261]

2,000 year old army, discovered completely by accident in 1974 by Chinese farmers who wanted to do nothing more than dig a water well. This, my friends, is what Bob Ross would call, a happy little accident

[@Alex.af.Nordheim]

I'm glad these were discovered towards the end of the cultural revolution. If they had been found ten years earlier, we might not see them anymore

[@ggdd-lf8jh]

The Cultural Revolution in 1976 was over 😂

[@jayaingay9961]

Anyone else see this years ago and learn about it in school now

[@tedy_bu3088]

I think the greatest archeological find is the kings valley in Egypt and the tombs

[@TheDrexxus]

I want a terracotta army :( I need to take some pottery lessons.

[@kennguyen6802]

I don't know why they display the subtitle meanwhile her English is very good.

[@-rlawndnjs-1248]

Wow!

[@mkt1037]

They probably have different faces because there based off real people

[@cheekibreeki3757]

Imagine the emperor woking up with his army

[@fsgchrizz9519]

Now this is some very interesting facts about the Terracotta army. I give this video a 10/10

[@jjs95100]

For me the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun is the best 👌 what they found in that tomb stunned explorer's

[@heathweather5995]

in year 2020. they will come to life.

[@user-mk4qk7rb1u]

Don't lie hhhhhh

[@famkimaroyte8649]

are you joking

[@pelayanlordgodalmightyyeho5657]

Yes he is saying the truth . All china knew it

[@TheNukaColaQuantum]

Well..i'm waiting

[@chromecastchu7685]

@@pelayanlordgodalmightyyeho5657 Now it is 2022. We all know that you lied.

[@kleendh9156]

Кому дали ссулку на это видео чтобы посмотрели на дистанциеонке лайк)