Posted on 01/29/2007 4:29:00 PM PST by blam
Pollen Reveals Terracotta Army Origins
Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News
Pollen Found Inside
Jan. 29, 2007 — China’s Terracotta Army has mystified scholars since the 8,099 clay warriors and horses were first discovered in Emperor Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum in 1974. The figures, meant to protect the emperor in the afterlife, were buried with him around 210-209 B.C.
At least one mystery about the imposing faux army recently was solved. It is now known that the horses and warriors were constructed in different locations, based on analysis of pollen found in fragments of terracotta that were collected from the clay figures.
Horses Made Seperately
The findings have been accepted for publication in the Journal of Archaeological Science.
"When the plants were flowering in the time of the Qin Dynasty 2000 years ago, the pollen flew in the air and fell in the clay, even if the pollen could not be seen with the naked eye," lead author Ya-Qin Hu told Discovery News.
Hu, a scientist in the Institute of Botany at Beijing’s Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues crushed the collected terracotta fragments, washed them and performed gravity separation. The resulting organic residue was mounted in glycerol and observed under a powerful microscope.
Using these methods, the researchers identified and recovered 32 different types of pollen. The pollen found in the terracotta warrior sample was mostly from herbaceous plants, such as members of the mustard and cabbage family, the genus of plants that includes sagebrush and wormwood, and the family of flowering plants that includes quinoa, spinach, beets and chard.
The pollen detected in the terracotta horse sample, however, mostly came from trees, such as pine, kamala and ginkgo.
Hu explained that pollen in clay often is destroyed after objects are fired. Some granules survived in the terracotta, however, because the figures appear to have been fired at inconsistent temperatures with parts of the objects —especially thicker portions — not undergoing complete firing.
Based on the pollen differences, the researchers conclude that the horses were produced near the mausoleum, while the warriors were made at an as-of-yet unknown site away from the region.
The horses are large (over 6 feet long) and heavy (nearly 441 pounds) compared to the warriors, which weigh around 330 pounds. The horses also are more delicate, given their relatively fragile legs. The scientists therefore theorize that whomever planned the Terracotta Army’s construction determined it would be easier to have the horses built closer to the destination site to minimize transport.
Michael Nylan is a professor of history at the University of California at Berkeley who specializes in early Chinese history.
Nylan told Discovery News that because scientific access to the terracotta figures is difficult, it would be hard at present to verify the findings.
Pollen analysis in recent years, however, has led to some remarkable discoveries, including solving murder cases and determining the origins of other artwork.
Hu said, "We believe this work may open a new window for archaeologists to consider the possibility of finding pollen in ancient terracotta or pottery, as the pollen may tell us some stories that we want to know, but that are still unknown."
GGG Ping.
If the horses were fired then maybe there's kiln remnants to be found nearby?
Mythology says there are supposed to be 7 booby traps, that only the greatest of warriors can survive.
The Chinese government is actually afraid to open that tomb.
has a great explanation of the museum with pictures.
Yup. I'd be the least suprised if they found a tall red-headed mummy in there.
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Fascinating. Thanks for posting.
Oh, pooh! I doubt that the Chinese Govt. is afraid to enter the tomb. They are working on the dig with a precise schedule designed to space discoveries in order to generate interest in this site for generations to come. It's all about $$$$. The more often the tourists come with fistfuls of $$$$ the more money is generated.
Recent analysis of soil samples around and on top indicate abnormallly high levels of mercury are present.
Wasn't there a TV show about the excavation of this army? "Welcome Back (Terra) Cotta"
You've cotta be kiddin' me.
That's a terra bull pun.
"Yup. I'd be the least suprised if they found a tall red-headed mummy in there."
Why do you think they won't open it? They already know it's a Caucasian mummy....
I'm kiln with this material.
Of course you are correct, BUT you underestimate the role that superstition plays in the minds of these Chicoms.
They are deeply superstitious about Shi Huang Di. Legends say that his body roams the tombs in semi-corporeal form.
Not that I belive any of it, but this specter is something like the 12th Immam, looking for a body to inhabit.Or so goes the myth.
Shi Huang Di was said to have discovered the Taoist secret of immortality, but could perfect it only partially before his death.
Also people may not realize it, but each of those soldiers are said to represent a real soldier, each sacrificed so their spirits could guard the place. Thats a lot of sacrifices. They were said to have gone willingly, at their own hands.
Creepy, but those facts are strictly censored.
Interesting. Also legend has it that the Middle Kingdom was recreated in miniature form , with the oceans and rivers made of flowing mercury from some kind of circulation system. The sun also was created out of a large gem like spere which traversed the heavens in time with the real sun.
Whoever open the massive tomb of Shi Huang Di, will make some marvelous archeological discoveries.
Ah, but my tour guide assured me that this great emperor was so enlightened that he came up with the novel idea of SUBSTITUTING terracotta statues for the real warriors so that the real warriors would not have to die when the emperor died. Yes, each warrior was modeled after a real person, but the real person died a natural death. Only the workmen and engineers of the tomb were buried alive so that there would be no trail.
Now, I belive that because my tour guide told me so. < sarc/off >
The Japanese were doing it as late as 1946. Iwo Jima is a prime example.
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