China: Xi’an – Bronze Chariots at Emperor Qin Mausoleum

A separate new underground complex has been constructed to display the Bronze Chariots – a state-of-the-art facility called the Bronze Chariot and Horse Exhibition Hall, which just opened recently within the Lishan Gardens. The bronze chariots were found in 1980, buried only 20m west of the Emperor’s tomb mound. They were discovered in a wooden crate, crushed into thousands of fragments, and took eight years to restore. Cast at a 1:2 scale, these chariots are incredibly complex, consisting of over 3,000 parts made of bronze, gold, and silver – they are considered the most sophisticated bronze artifacts ever discovered. The level of detail – down to the texture of the horses’ hair – showcases technology that was far ahead of its time. The new museum and display is full of special lighting and holograms and information and history. Very impressive!