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17. Underground Army of the First Emperor: Charioteer
Excavated from pit 2 near the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huangdi, Lintong county,
Shaanxi Province, in 1976

Qin dynasty, 221 - 206 BCE
Terra-cotta
height 192.5 cm

Underground Army of the First Emperor: Charioteer

The charioteer stood upright in one of the 130 two-wheeled chariots, holding the reins of his four﷓horse team. Most of the chariots were decayed or burned when the Qin tombs were raided and set afire. The charioteer's large size, his plate armor, and his folded cap tied with strings under his chin proclaim him to be a warrior of elevated rank.

Museum of Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huangdi, Shaanxi Province


Detail: close up

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