Terra Cotta Warriors

Standing Guard

Armored General, top, and Kneeling Archer, above, are among the Qin dynasty terra cotta warriors on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science though Oct. 18. Courtesy photos

Houston Museum of Natural History exhibits Qin dynasty Terra Cotta warriors

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Strange haps more than any other medium. From ancient pottery to lifelike sculptures, ceramics have been used to carry and preserve foods, decorate homes, buildings andtombs and, in some cultures, are even believed to protect people in the afterlife. TheHouston Museum ofNatural Science is hosting“Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” through Oct. 18. Theexhibit features 120 ancientChinese artifacts and a 15warrior sample of the estimated 8,000 terra cotta warriors discovered in Xi’anin1974. Tickets for the exhibit are $30 for adultsand $24 for studentswith an optional purchase of an audioguideforan additional $9.

Theaudio guide is optional but very helpful inthe tour. It offers additional information about eachfigure and artifact that is not provided anywhere else and gives insight into the history and social order of China at the time.

Theexhibit,located on the second level of themuseum, begins with a kneeling archer warrior, surrounded by weapons of the era. The warrior is in near perfect condition. Being crafted from clay somewhere between 221 and 206 B.C., thefigure and its stunning detail has been preserved in the earth for more than 2,000 years. Thewarrior’s bow and perhaps other weapons are believed to have been looted or recycled over theyears, but his heavy armor, crafted from overlapping panels of clay, remains a testament to the skillof the Qin craftsmen. Down to the souls of thewarrior’s feet, the workers accounted for every painstaking detail.

Onthewalls of the museum hang photos of thesite where the artifacts were found, factual andhistorical information, maps, paintings and othermaterials that contribute to the experience. Alarge photo of the dig site shows just how huge anendeavor the project was.

ThesiteinXi’an consists of three finished pitscontaining artifacts. Each pit is between 15 and20feetunderground with special supports and roofing to conceal its location. A fourth pit