Terra-Cotta Army in China

Discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging a well, Pit One at the Emperor Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum near Xian, China, is home to more than 6,000 reconstructed terra-cotta warriors and horses. // © 2015 Shane Nelson

Many of the reconstructed warriors were originally crafted with what might best be described as beer bellies, likely because the warriors were paid with a supply of alcohol. // © 2015 Shane Nelson

The face of each terra-cotta warrior in Emperor Qin’s subterranean army is unique. // © 2015 Shane Nelson

The clay soldiers were also entombed with wooden chariots and weapons such as spears and swords. // © 2015 Shane Nelson

Archaeologists have yet to discover a terra-cotta warrior that’s completely intact; all of those on display at the museum have been painstakingly pieced together from broken fragments. // © 2015 Shane Nelson

Though the artifacts Pit One are the same color today, Emperor Qin’s soldiers were originally painted a variety of colors. // © 2015 Shane Nelson