The Terracotta Army was discovered in eastern
outer suburbs of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province by
local farmers drilling a water well 1.5 miles
east of Lishan (a mountain).
This discovery prompted archaeologists to
proceed to Shaanxi Province, China to
investigate.
The Terracotta Army is a form of funerary art
buried with the First Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi
Huang, Shi Huang means the first emperor) in
210-209 BC (he declared himself the first
emperor of China in 221 BC to the end of his
life in 210 BC).
Their purpose was to help rule another empire with Shi Huang Di in the
afterlife. Consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's
Armies."
Mount Lishan is also where the material to make the terracotta
warriors originated.
In addition to the warriors, an entire man-made necropolis for the
emperor has been excavated.
