Photo: Houston Museum of Natural Science

Forever vigilant, forever silent, the Terra Cotta Warriors stand ready to defend their Emperor in the afterlife and now you can see them in person as World of the Terracotta Warriors: New Archaeological Discoveries in Shaanxi in the 21st Century opens November 15 at Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS).

“This exhibit presents the latest archaeological discoveries that rewrote history,” says Dr. Dirk Van Tuerenhout, Curator of Anthropology for HMNS. “China’s advanced civilization did not start where we once thought it did. This is a story of over two millennia with kingdoms waxing and waning. It ends with the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. His mausoleum still stands, undisturbed. His army and servants have awoken and await your visit.”

Imagine Chinese farmers in 1979 drilling a well near Xi’an, in the Shaanxi province in central China, who, instead of hitting water, hit an underground chamber. When archeologists descended on the site, they found 8,000 life-size terra cotta soldiers, an army replete with horses, chariots, weapons, and more. Turned out those farmers had discovered the tomb of the first Qin emperor Qin Shi Huang. Declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the 20-square-mile compound includes four underground chambers, one with the east-facing army, one empty, and two containing more life-size servants to care for the emperor. The site is an ongoing dig, and the tomb itself has yet to be entered, likely due to fear that exposure to the weather would instantly damage the contents.

Photo: Houston Museum of Natural Science

But it is the warriors, each distinct, that have captured the world’s imagination as they have toured museums around the globe.

“We should all stop and appreciate the organizational efforts associated with the mass production of these warriors, each with individual facial traits and head ornaments,” says Dr. Van Tuerenhout. “The size of the labor force is mindboggling.”

Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor, in 2009, was one of HMNS’ most successful exhibitions ever, and no special exhibit has matched its average daily attendance since. That means you should get your tickets early ($20 for members, $35 for adults, $27 for children, seniors and military. You can get tickets here.) and plan accordingly. Last entry is one hour and 15 minutes before closing. Even if you went last time, there will be plenty new to see this year.

Photo: Houston Museum of Natural Science

“The Terracotta Army exhibit highlights new insights based on new discoveries,” says Dr. Van Tuerenhout. “The last 25 years of archaeological research in China has refined out understanding of the origins of Ancient China. We now better appreciate the important role played by very early civilizations in the rise of Imperial China.”

“New technologies applied to the conservation of painted Terracotta Warriors allow us to share images of brightly painted warrior statues. Imagine the army of statues sporting an array of colors instead of the traditional brown color we all have come to associate with it.”

This promises to be a blockbuster event you’ll definitely want to see.

by Marene Gustin