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China's First Emperor built a huge mausoleum at Lintong that would recreate his palace and court below ground. His tomb was provided with every necessity for the next life, including an army of more than seven thousand terracotta soldiers, which stood in formation east of his burial mound (More About The Tomb of the First Emperor).
This is one of 160 kneeling archers, positioned in readiness for battle. His hands would have held a crossbow, the right hand on the trigger and the left holding the crossbow arm. Remnants of actual weapons were found scattered around the figures. The archer wears protective leggings and a double-layered tunic. His armor would have been made of lacquered leather and joined by various rivets and clasps. His hair is braided and worn in a chignon.
The Qin state developed a strong, disciplined army that made extensive use of the latest technologies. The effectiveness of the crossbow depended on human strength -- the bow string had to be pulled back while lying down and bracing the feet against the crossbow arm -- as well as the quality of the trigger mechanism and bow string. In the hands of a well-trained archer, the crossbow could fire a deadly bolt hundreds of yards.
The path to advancement in Qin society was through military service. Even those born into a prestigious family had to prove their loyalty and courage in military campaigns. Soldiers who brought back heads from battle were often rewarded with promotions or pay raises. A soldier was expected to remain loyal to the emperor at any cost. Desertion meant that one's fellow warriors would be punished, as well as one's family.
Despite the huge size of the terracotta army, individual figures were treated with surprising attention to detail. Mass production did not overshadow a concern for individuality. The figures were made using molds in a number of standard types, with heads, hands, and torsos in different combinations. Details of armor fittings, even the soles of shoes, were painstakingly recreated in ceramic form. Each figure was brightly painted. This archer still bears traces of red pigment on his armor. Characters found on some of the soldiers may be the signature marks of master potters.
Creation of this terracotta army was a massive undertaking, the largest ceramic project ever undertaken anywhere. It signaled a departure from human sacrifices in burials. Here, the concern was to create, in full detail, a three-dimensional model of the real world. Such a model required resources that only an emperor could have mobilized.
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