Terracotta Army — 8,000 Clay Soldiers Guarding a Tomb

Discovered by farmers in 1974 near Xi'an, China, the Terracotta Army was built to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor. Constructed between approximately 246 and 210 BCE, the army comprises an estimated 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses — all buried in three massive pits covering 22,000 square metres. Each warrior features unique facial expressions, hairstyles, and clothing, suggesting they were modelled on real soldiers. Archaeologists have not yet excavated the emperor's main burial chamber.

The count of 8,000 is an estimate based on excavation progress to date; the full number may differ once all pits are fully excavated.