Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, China

The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China, now the "Museum of Qin Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and Horses", is one of the 20th century's greatest historical finds. Discovered while digging for a well in 1974, an entire area was unearthed to reveal what today stands as one of the most astounding creations of man-kind. The excavations in Xian, which is located in the Shaanxi Province of China in the Lintong County, brought to light thousands of terra cotta soldiers along with their weapons, chariots and horses. Though there still remains much more to be dug up, the so far recovered Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China covers an area of 16,300 Sq Meters. In fact, it is supposed that the original Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China spans an area of 50 Sq Km.

Ordered by Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, all the recovered warriors, weapons - like bows, arrows, swords and spears - and horses were made to assist him in his afterlife. The catch lies in the part that Qin Shi Huang commissioned them at the age of 13, as soon as he ascended the throne! These funerary statues took 11 years and the best craftsmen to make. It was completed in 210 BC. The current Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China is segregated into three portions - Pit 1, Pit 2, and Pit 3 - into the order of their findings. All these figures are life-sized. Each warrior is crafted according to his military rank and status. The difference can be told from the difference in attire, uniform, hairstyles and also footwear. So, this terra cotta army says a lot about not just their makers, but also the customs and practices of the age. Around 7,000 statues have been unearthed so far and also restored to their original shapes. Also, along with these statues, bronze life-sized horses with leather bridles, alloy weapons, Jade objects and bone objects have also been excavated. The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China is now one of the World Heritage Sites recognized by the UNESCO.