Tricolor terra-cotta warrior unearthed in SW China
( 2003-12-06 11:09) (Xinhua)
Archeologists have unearthed a terra-cotta warrior armored in yellow,
green and white from an ancient tomb in Chengdu, capital of the
southwestern Sichuan Province.
The badly damaged figurine, with folded arms, glaring eyes and a
imposing look on its red face, was estimated to be 60 centimeters tall +
the tallest of its kind ever unearthed in this region.
However, the warrior had been damaged during excavation and the red tassels
on its hat and the lower parts of its legs were nowhere to be found, said
archeologists. "What is left of the figurine is about 50 centimeters
tall."
But the archeologists said they were happy to find the glazed surface
and clean-cut feature of the hollow figurine had been well preserved.
The warrior was one of the six figurines unearthed from an ancient tomb
that dates back to the Song Dynasty (420 - 479), over 1,500 years ago, but the
other five, including terra-cotta warriors and civilians, were only 20 to
30 centimeters in height.
The tomb, which was found by construction workers at a site in Shufang
village in the outskirts of Chengdu, had been damaged before the workers
reported their discovery to the local cultural heritage administration.
"The six figurines had apparently been buried with the dead, as was the
tradition in those days," said archeologists, who had filled back the tomb
to preserve its original outlook.
|
