Why Archeologists Are Too Scared To Open The Tomb Of China's First Emperor [View all]

Booby traps and mercury poisoning are just some of the concerns around opening the tomb of Qin Shi Huang.

TOM HALE
Senior Journalist

Jan 11, 2023 4:59 AM



The Terracotta Army were buried near the tomb of Qin Shi Huang to protect him in his afterlife. Image credit: toiletroom/Shutterstock.com

In 1974, farmers stumbled across one of the most important archaeological discoveries of all time in an unassuming field in the Shaanxi province of China. While digging, they found fragments of a human figure made out of clay. This was just the tip of the iceberg. Archaeological excavations revealed the field was sitting above a number of pits that were jam-packed with thousands of life-size terracotta models of soldiers and war horses, not to mention acrobats, esteemed officials, and other animals.

It appears that the mission of this Terracotta Army was to guard the nearby mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the formidable first emperor of the Qin dynasty who ruled from 221 to 210 BCE.

While large parts of the necropolis surrounding the mausoleum have been explored, the emperor’s tomb itself has never been opened despite the huge amount of intrigue that surrounds it. Eyes have perhaps not peered inside this tomb for over 2,000 years, when the feared emperor was sealed inside.

A prime reason behind this hesitancy is that archeologists are concerned about how the excavation might damage the tomb, losing vital historical information. Currently, only invasive archaeological techniques could be used to enter the tomb, running a high risk of causing irreparable damage.

More:
https://www.iflscience.com/why-archeologists-are-too-scared-to-open-the-tomb-of-china-s-first-emperor-67019