Warrior Figurines

Western Han dynasty
Shaanxi History Museum, Xi'an

These standing and riding pottery warriors are a selection from about 3,000 that were unearthed in 1972. They belong to the Western Han dynasty that succeeded the Qin. Their reduced size is in marked contrast to the Qin emperor's full-sized terracotta warriors. The soldiers' weapons have disintegrated. A few shields remain (soldiers in front), and some paint is still visible on the figures (soldiers in the third row). Mounted cavalrymen occupy the rear rows.