Terracotta archer warriors, X’ian, China
Discovered in 1974 by Chinese farmers, the famous Terracotta Army depicts the warriors of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. They were buried with the emperor between 210-209 BC to protect him in the afterlife. They were originally exquisitely painted in detail with a variety of bright colors, but within minutes of being exposed to the air after excavation, the ancient and fragile paint falls off. Due to this and other factors, only about 2,000 warriors have been excavated, and around 7 to 8 thousand are estimated to remain left sealed inside the mausoleum to this day.
PHOTO COURTESY OF: Rock in Bajamar