kenb
Bronze Member
2 July 2007
EMPEROR'S CHAMBER OF SECRETS
A MYSTERIOUS underground chamber has been found inside the tomb guarded by China's world-famous terracotta army.
More than 2000 years old, the chamber is buried inside a 170ft high earth pyramid on top of the tomb of Qin Shihuang, China's first emperor.
But historical records say nothing about the unknown room.
It was found at the site near the old imperial capital of Xian by archaeologists using underground radar.
One expert says it may have been built for the soul of the emperor.
It is situated near the life-size terracotta warriors and has four stair-like walls with nine steps each, says Duan Qingbo, a researcher with the Shaanxi Institute of Archaeology.
Chinese authorities have not given permission to dig up the site.
It is believed that they want to perfect archaeological techniques before probing any further under the pyramid.
Archaeologists have been using remote sensing technology since 2002 to study the internal structure of the unexcavated mausoleum.
The terracotta army - made up of more than 8000 life-size earthenware statues of warriors and horses - was accidentally unearthed in 1974 by farmers digging a well.
No two soldiers are the same and each face is individual.
All the figures originally had their own weapons and armour.
Despite his brutal methods, Emperor Qin is remembered as a hero in China for forging a unified state in 221BC.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/n...objectid=19390022&siteid=66633-name_page.html
kenb
EMPEROR'S CHAMBER OF SECRETS
A MYSTERIOUS underground chamber has been found inside the tomb guarded by China's world-famous terracotta army.
More than 2000 years old, the chamber is buried inside a 170ft high earth pyramid on top of the tomb of Qin Shihuang, China's first emperor.
But historical records say nothing about the unknown room.
It was found at the site near the old imperial capital of Xian by archaeologists using underground radar.
One expert says it may have been built for the soul of the emperor.
It is situated near the life-size terracotta warriors and has four stair-like walls with nine steps each, says Duan Qingbo, a researcher with the Shaanxi Institute of Archaeology.
Chinese authorities have not given permission to dig up the site.
It is believed that they want to perfect archaeological techniques before probing any further under the pyramid.
Archaeologists have been using remote sensing technology since 2002 to study the internal structure of the unexcavated mausoleum.
The terracotta army - made up of more than 8000 life-size earthenware statues of warriors and horses - was accidentally unearthed in 1974 by farmers digging a well.
No two soldiers are the same and each face is individual.
All the figures originally had their own weapons and armour.
Despite his brutal methods, Emperor Qin is remembered as a hero in China for forging a unified state in 221BC.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/n...objectid=19390022&siteid=66633-name_page.html
kenb
