Acrobats, Birds, And Horses Were Found Alongside The Warrior In addition to the 8,000 soldiers, the three pits contain 130 chariots pulled by 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, most buried near the Emperor's mausoleum. The pits also include non-military statues, such as acrobats, strongmen and musicians. Bronze ducks, cranes, and waterfowl also appear featured among the human statues, a sign that Emperor Qin hoped to be surrounded by similar people and animals in the afterlife.

The Warriors Were Hidden Underground For Over 2,000 Years

For over 2,200 years, the Terracotta Army remained untouched underground. Nobody knew about them until 1974, when a group of farmers discovered them while digging a well in Xi'an. The Chinese government naturally investigated the area, and it turned into one of the country's greatest archeological sites.  The Army's Weapons Stood The Test Of Time While excavating the pits, archeologists uncovered about 40,000 bronze weapons, such as battle axes, crossbows, arrowheads and spears. Even though they remained underground for over 2,000 years, the weapons emerged in excellent condition and free of rust. This is likely because they were covered in a protective chrome plating - a technique thought to have been pioneered by the Germans in 1937. The discovery proved how ancient Chinese metallurgy was far ahead of its time. Ref: ranker.com