Website review: Chinese tombs may surpass Egyptian ...
Taipan54 discovered this in Archaeology
•4 reviews since Mar 15, 2007
archaeology
•cosmosmagazine.com/node/1102
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Taipan54 discovered 17 months ago- "The tomb of China's first emperor is potentially one of the most spectacular on Earth, but a heated debate is developing over whether to excavate it at all. Chinese archaeologists have expressed concern that they do not currently have the expertise to properly preserve what they find inside the tomb - located in China's central province of Shaanxi - but new technologies may be closing that gap. Qinshi Huang's enormous tomb complex is the home of Xian's famed terracotta warriors; 8,000 life-size figures that were discovered by accident in 1974. The tomb itself, though, has not yet been disturbed."
- Omiros rated 16 months ago
Thursday, 15 March 2007
The discovery of the Terracotta Army in 1974 could pale in comparison to
the wonders purported to exist within the tomb of China's first emperor. Image: iStockphoto
XIAN, China: The tomb of China's first emperor is potentially one of the most spectacular on Earth, but a heated debate is developing over whether to excavate it at all. Chinese archaeologists have expressed concern that they do not currently have the expertise to properly preserve what they find inside the tomb - located in China's central province of Shaanxi - but new technologies may be closing that gap.
Qinshi Huang's enormous tomb complex is the home of Xian's famed terracotta warriors; 8,000 life-size figures that were discovered by accident in 1974. The tomb itself, though, has not yet been disturbed. Historical records suggest the coffin of the first emperor, ruler of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC to 207 BC), is encased in copper and sits in a
large tomb chamber full of fine vessels, precious stones and other rarities. The ceiling of that chamber is thought to be studded with jewels that represent the stars, sun and moon - while on the floor, rivers of mercury represent the earth.
Recent preliminary surveys have found high concentrations of mercury under the chamber, backing up that claim.Survey work also indicates that the main burial vaults of Qinshi Huang remain undisturbed. But, historic records attest that grave robbers could have cleaned it out - along with many other Xian-based tombs, dubbed China's 'Valley of the Kings' after the resting place of many Egyptian pharoahs, including King Tutankhamen.
"The cultural enlightenment from excavating the tomb of Qinshi Huang will surpass the pyramids of Egypt," Zhang Wuchang of Hong Kong University said in a recent online article that sparked the debate.
- sh0rtbus56 rated 17 months ago
- m glad that the archaeologists realize that they may lack the skills or equipment to excavate this possible pristine tomb. it would be a real shame to lose the history that has been buried there for thousands of years.
- dorla rated 17 months ago
From the page: "XIAN, China: The tomb of China's first emperor is potentially one of the most spectacular on Earth, but a heated debate is developing over whether to excavate it at all." Some of the warriors of this grave are at the moment exhibited in Malta. I saw them I think more than twenty years ago in Brussels and I intend to revisit.
