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archeologist studyingChina ’s famous " Terracotta Army " have uncovered what they think to be a rare , life sentence - size of it statue of a high - ranking military officer , local media report .
The highly adorned soma , unwrap at the mausoleum ofEmperor Qin Shi Huangin China ’s Shaanxi province , is only the 10th of its kind among the thousands of terracotta statue that have been unearthed at the web site so far .
Only 10 high-ranking officers have been discovered among the 2,000 terracotta figurines that have been found so far. This photo does not show the latest discovery.
" These adornments on the luxuriously - rank officers indicate how special they are,“Xiuzhen Janice Li , an archaeologist at the University of Oxford and previously older archeologist at theEmperor Qin Shihuang ’s Mausoleum Site Museum , told Live Science in an electronic mail . " The style and colour of the adornments featured the artistic taste and social condition symbolisation [ of the time . ] "
The figure was discovered alongside the remains of two chariots , three clay horses and two additional figurine , offering fresh insight into the organizational construction of the ancient army .
" The arrangement of the high - ranking officer in the military formation reflected the military strategy , such as [ the ] control system in the Qin dynasty , " Li enounce .
TheTerracotta Armywas pick up in 1974 during the construction of a well in northwestern China . The find gave procession to one of the greatest archaeologic discovery in modern times : an army of thousands of life story - size clay statuette locate across three pits , dating back to the third hundred B.C.
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Fifty years after its discovery , archaeologists have unearthed rough 2,000 terracotta warriors , although expert estimate there could be as many as 8,000 across the three sites , consort toNational Museums Liverpool in the U.K.The anatomy were buried with crossbows , shaft and swords , and are thought to have been built to protect China ’s first Saturnia pavonia , Qin Shi Huang ( who lived from 259 B.C. to 210 B.C. ) in the afterlife .
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The newfound figures were discovered in Pit Two , which is believe to comprise the army ’s cavalry . However , Zhu Sihong , head of the excavation labor , allege that the officer is the first high - ranking somebody to have been discovered at this land site , theSouth China Morning Post reported .
Military policeman are secern by their read/write head pieces and colorful , intricately patterned armor , United States Department of State spreader CCTV report . Their handwriting are usually clasped in front of them and their shoulder launchpad and armor are embellished with ribbons .
While these findings offer new insights into the military social organization of the ancient army , many question still stay . " The major inquiry is who is the top general to check the whole Terracotta Army ? " Li enounce .
