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A team of researchers has examined fingerprints preserved in the clay of thirty-six warrior statues from the Terracotta Army, discovered near Xi'an, China. According to Archaeology Magazine, which relays information published by Science Alert, these traces show that production did not rely solely on adult male labor. The statues accompany the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi and now reveal part of the anonymous names of their craftspeople.
A chance discovery near the mausoleum
The Terracotta Army was unearthed in 1974 by farmers digging a well about a kilometer from the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, the ruler who unified China. This tomb, around 2,200 years old, lies in Shaanxi province near the city of Xi'an.
The complex contains roughly 8,000 soldier statues, whose faces, hairstyles and armor vary from one figure to another. This diversity makes the pit one of the most famous sites in world archaeology, and it explains researchers' ongoing interest in how these figures were mass-produced without ever being identical.
Fingerprints preserved in the clay
For this study, thirty-six warrior statues from the same pit were examined. In total, 91 fingerprints were identified on these figures. Twelve of them were set aside because they appeared to come from people who left several traces, making attribution impossible.
Of the remaining 79 fingerprints, 73 were left during the molding, shaping and assembly of the statues, mainly on the heads and arms. The other six were produced during decoration, on rivets and on armor belts. Potters worked the fresh clay by hand, which naturally left traces before firing fixed them in place.
Men, women and children at work
The spacing between the ridges of a fingerprint can provide clues about the age and sex of the person who left it. The researchers therefore used a mathematical model to estimate who might have worked on these 36 statues.
According to this calculation, about 45% of the fingerprints would be male, 32% female, and nearly 22% would belong to children under 15. Adolescents may have been apprentices, a practice described in Qin dynasty documents, which strictly regulated work in the imperial workshops.
Challenging long-held assumptions
These findings upend the long-accepted idea that the army's production relied exclusively on adult men. Xiaoxi Li, of the museum at the Emperor Qin Shihuang mausoleum site, says these findings "call into question" this older hypothesis.
Beyond the questions of gender and age, this method shows how microscopic traces, invisible to the naked eye, can illuminate the organization of ancient workshops. It makes it possible to observe the role played by different categories of workers on a project that mobilized a very large number of hands.
To learn more
The museum at the Emperor Qin Shihuang mausoleum site, in Xi'an, displays the excavated pits and statues. It is the most direct place to see these warriors in their context, a few kilometers from the imperial tomb.
Archaeology Magazine also reports the recent discovery of a new member of the Terracotta Army, along with other articles on ancient China, including the Han dynasty horse post stations.
Frequently asked questions
Who made the Terracotta Army statues?
According to a fingerprint analysis relayed by Archaeology Magazine, the statues were shaped by men, women and children. About 45% of the fingerprints would be male, 32% female, and 22% would belong to children under 15.
When was the Terracotta Army discovered?
The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well. It lies about one kilometer from the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi.
How many statues are in the Terracotta Army?
The complex contains roughly 8,000 soldier statues, showing a wide variety of faces, hairstyles and armor. Each figure has distinct features.
Where can you see the Terracotta Army?
The statues are displayed near Xi'an, in Shaanxi province, at the site of the Emperor Qin Shihuang mausoleum. The site museum shows the excavated pits and recovered pieces.
Sources
- Who Crafted China’s Terracotta Army? — Archaeology Magazine
Original summary written with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited, checked automatically, then translated from the French original. Information and quotations belong to their authors. Read the French original.
