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Quiz about Terracotta Warriors of Xian
Quiz about Terracotta Warriors of Xian

Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an Trivia Quiz


Let's take a trip to the landlocked city of Xi'an, where an entire ancient army awaits us. What do you know about the over 8,000 terracotta figures that call China their home?
This is a renovated/adopted version of an old quiz by author thejazzkickazz

A photo quiz by trident. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
trident
Time
4 mins
Type
Photo Quiz
Quiz #
27,952
Updated
Jun 08 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
132
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
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Question 1 of 10
1. The whole of the Terracotta Army was moved from its original location into a larger museum that could fit the huge collection of statues.


Question 2 of 10
2. This posthumous depiction is of the first emperor of China, who unified sections of the Great Wall and was buried with the Terracotta Army. He was a member of what short-lived dynasty? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The terracotta statues are located in Xi'an (pictured), which was one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. Three of the cities below make up the other great historical capitals. Which one does NOT? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. All of the warriors' faces in the Terracotta Army are identical.


Question 5 of 10
5. Here is a replica of what the terracotta figures might have looked like before their paint faded with time. In terms of the pigments used on the statues, which pigment is INCORRECTLY matched with its source? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. While being made, the individual pieces of the statues were fused together using a mixture of just water and clay.


Question 7 of 10
7. Pictured is a replica of one of the many different types of warriors that were crafted. Which of these types of soldiers were NOT represented within the Terracotta Army? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Take a closer look at these warriors' hands as they seem to be missing something. According to the "Smithsonian Magazine," upon excavation, why did the large majority of warriors not have the bronze weapons that they'd originally held?


Question 9 of 10
9. Approximately how many horses do archaeologists think were buried along with the terracotta warriors? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. After reading an historical account in which the emperor's tomb contained vast riches, archaeologists immediately began work on excavating the tomb in 1974.



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The whole of the Terracotta Army was moved from its original location into a larger museum that could fit the huge collection of statues.

Answer: False

The large majority of figures remain where they have stood for over 2,000 years, after being constructed in 210-209 BCE. The soldiers were discovered in 1974 after a group of farmers were attempting to dig for a well. A museum complex was constructed around the dig site so as not to disturb the original positions of the statues, though a very small number of the statues have been put on display in other museums. Though estimates put the number of soldiers at around 8,000, only about 1,900 of the figures had been excavated in the fifty years after the site was discovered.

The complex is one of the most visited sites on Earth. It is formally known as the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. This posthumous depiction is of the first emperor of China, who unified sections of the Great Wall and was buried with the Terracotta Army. He was a member of what short-lived dynasty?

Answer: Qin dynasty

Qin Shi Huang declared himself emperor of a unified China, though there were several various monarchs who ruled parts of the country before him. His dynasty didn't last long, however, as only two other Qin rulers would rule before the long-lasting Han dynasty took control.

The Terracotta Army was meant to depict the soldiers in his forces, and it is in his mausoleum that the statues were buried. It is estimated that a total of 8,000 statues of soldiers were buried with him, along with several other figures.
3. The terracotta statues are located in Xi'an (pictured), which was one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. Three of the cities below make up the other great historical capitals. Which one does NOT?

Answer: Hong Kong

Known as Chang'an before the Ming dynasty came to power, Xi'an was the eastern terminus to the Silk Road, so the city was incredibly important in Chinese history. It is located in the landlocked Shaanxi Province. Xi'an became China's second most popular tourist destination in 2020.
4. All of the warriors' faces in the Terracotta Army are identical.

Answer: False

Historians believe that between eight and ten molds were being used to create the warriors' faces, but each face was then modified with clay afterward with various facial features to make each soldier appear different. Carrying out this process on over 8,000 different figures must have been a monumental task; construction of the mausoleum and the terracotta warriors was completed by over 700,000 workers according to one contemporary Chinese historian.

However, one interesting nugget is that the large majority of the warriors' hands are identical, being cast from the same mold.
5. Here is a replica of what the terracotta figures might have looked like before their paint faded with time. In terms of the pigments used on the statues, which pigment is INCORRECTLY matched with its source?

Answer: Malachite - brown

Cinnabar, azurite, and malachite are all minerals that were ground down into pigments and used in ancient Chinese art. Malachite is green in color and was used as a green pigment. Charcoal was created by burning wood and turning it into a black pigment. Brown pigments were made from local tree sap, with most historians agreeing that it was the sap of the Chinese lacquer tree that was used.
6. While being made, the individual pieces of the statues were fused together using a mixture of just water and clay.

Answer: True

Because the terracotta statues were life-sized, it was impractical to craft them without using smaller individual pieces. These individual pieces were then fitted together with a process called "luting," which is when a slurry or slip is created from clay and water and applied to the cracks and crevices in order to create a solid piece.

While this slip can contain other ingredients, the one used on the Terracotta Army was just a simple combination of water and clay mixed in the correct proportions. Once applied, the whole statue is then fired.
7. Pictured is a replica of one of the many different types of warriors that were crafted. Which of these types of soldiers were NOT represented within the Terracotta Army?

Answer: Cannoneers

The Qin dynasty's army was ferocious and technologically-advanced for its time. It made use of several military technologies, and it was arguably their crossbowmen that helped the Chinese emperor conquer broad swathes of land (the crossbow was invented in China). They also made use of fast-moving cavalry and even chariots. The Terracotta Army demonstrates their use by including life-sized horses and Chinese chariots within its ranks. The variation between the different soldiers and their stations shows the incredible talent of the artists who crafted them. The replica of the chariot represents a chariot figure and horses crafted from bronze.

The first cannons were actually also invented in China, but they didn't appear until about 1,400 years later in the 12th and 13th centuries.
8. Take a closer look at these warriors' hands as they seem to be missing something. According to the "Smithsonian Magazine," upon excavation, why did the large majority of warriors not have the bronze weapons that they'd originally held?

Answer: They were plundered by marauding forces as bronze was highly valued

Since the terracotta warriors' hands were crafted as though they were holding weapons, it was curious that the large majority of the figures held nothing. Archaeologists at first surmised that perhaps the weapons rusted to nothingness, considering they were made with simple bronze.

Yet, thousands of bronze artefacts, including weapons, were in fact found in the dig site, remarkably well-preserved. Scientists believe a mix of high tin content in the weapons and a fortuitous soil composition that lent itself well to preservation meant that the thousands of other weapons would not have degraded to nothingness. Instead, the Qin dynasty rapidly disintegrated after the death of Qin Shi Huang, and his tomb was raided. Evidence of charring even suggests that fires were set to destroy the incredible landmark. Luckily, a large number of terracotta figures weren't destroyed.
9. Approximately how many horses do archaeologists think were buried along with the terracotta warriors?

Answer: 600

The artists who created the horses did so masterfully, with chariot horses and cavalry horses amongst their creations. The use of horses during warfare helped solidify the Qin dynasty's military victories, so they were an important inclusion in many ways. The emperor was also buried with a cast of other supporting figures, including musicians, acrobats, and other officials.
10. After reading an historical account in which the emperor's tomb contained vast riches, archaeologists immediately began work on excavating the tomb in 1974.

Answer: False

Qin Shi Huang's tomb itself has been left alone for various reasons, including the fact that it is considered the final resting place of an historical figure and is sacred. Another reason archaeologists have given is that the tomb's contents are likely to deteriorate rapidly upon exposure to the air. If the tomb were excavated, estimates state that some delicate artefacts could face irreversible damage after only four minutes of exposure.
Source: Author trident

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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