Blog posts
On a day like this 39 years ago… serendipity and the Terracotta Army
On 29 March 1974, a group of farmers digging a water well in
Lintong, to the east of Xi’an, struck upon one of the greatest archaeological
discoveries of all time. The Terracotta Army would become the icon of the 2,200
year-old city-like mausoleum of China’s First Emperor. A further four decades
since its discovery, have we learned anything about serendipity?
More...
Published: Apr 2, 2013 11:47:00 AM
Output
This section will advertise publications and other forms of
output from the project. Announcements for forthcoming talks or public events
will also be made through our blog. If you would like to
discuss any potential contribution to any form of public or specialist
exchange, please contact us.
Publications
- Martinón-Torres, M., Li, X. J., Bevan, A., Xia, Y., Zhao, K. and Rehren, Th. 2012. Forty thousand arms for a single Emperor: from chemical data to the labor organization behind the bronze arrows of the Terracotta Army. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. DOI link»
- Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Meeks and Xia, Y. 2012. Scanning electron microscopy imaging of tool marks on Qin bronze weaopns using silicone rubber impressions, in N. Meeks, C. Cartwright, A. Meek and A. Mongiatti (eds.), Historical Technology, Materials and Conservation: SEM and Microanalysis, 62-68. London: Archetype and The British Museum.
- Li, X. J.2012. Standardisation, Labour Organisation and the Bronze Weapons of the Qin Terracotta Warriors. PhD thesis, UCL Institute of Archaeology, London.
- Li, X. J., Martinón-Torres, M., Meeks, N. D., Xia, Y. and Zhao, K. 2011. Inscriptions, filing, grinding and polishing marks on the bronze weapons from the Qin Terracotta Army in China. Journal of Archaeological Science 38, 492-501. DOI link»
- Li, Li, X.J., Martinón-Torres, M., Bevan, A., Rehren, Th., Xia, Y., and Zhao, K. 2011. 秦俑坑出土青铜弩机生产的标准化及劳动力组织 (Standardisation and labour organisation in the Qin bronze triggers of the Terracotta Warriors). Qin Shihuangling Bowuyuan Yuankan, 1.
- Martinón-Torres, M., Li, X. J., Bevan, A., Xia, Y., Zhao, K. and Rehren, Th. 2011. Making weapons for the Terracotta Army. Archaeology International 13/14, 65-75. DOI link»
A number of publications are due to appear in the near future and this site will be updated with details as they appear.
Public talks
The project has featured in several TV programmes, and team members have delivered public talks in the UK, China, India, US, Canada, Spain, Australia, and Belgium. We will be updating this section in due course.
Imperial Logistics: The Making of
the Terracotta Army
UCL Institute of Archaeology, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY UK
+44 (0) 20 7679 7496 · terracotta-army@ucl.ac.uk
