How the Terracotta Warriors Were Made -From Clay to Masterpiece
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses were built over 2,200 years, but up to now, most of them are still maintained well.
The shaping forms and methods of the Terracotta Warriors were all based on real life. Each soldier's physique, attire, and expression were meticulously portrayed. According to archaeologists, when the Terracotta Army was unearthed, their bodies have various colors. However, due to the imperfect protection technology at that time, the colors on the figurines were oxidized and eventually all turned into yellow earth color.
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It Took 39 Years to Complete
Emperor Qin Shi Huang began to build the Terracotta Army when he ascended to the throne at the age of 13, but the project was yet to be completed when he died.
Construction of the Terracotta Army was planned and designed by the Prime Minister of Li Si. The construction lasted for 39 years.
Hundreds of craftsmen were involved in the project under Supervision
The craftsmen who made the Terracotta Warriors were from the lower levels of Qin Dynasty society. Some of them came from the imperial pottery workshops, while others came from local pottery workshops.
There are 80 names found on the terracotta figurines, all of whom are believed to be skilled craftsmen with rich practical experience. The Qin officials made the craftsmen to printing or engrave their names on the terracotta warriors as a means to manage them and ensure product quality.
The Main Material - Local Yellow Clay
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses were mainly made of clay. The clay used was sourced locally, mainly from the loess and reddish-brown soil in the area, which was pre-processed and mixed with about 20% sand.
The construction was highly organized and planned. The large-scale production of the warriors, including the selection and preparation of the clay, was likely carried out by a national professional organization. It may have involved the centralized collection and distribution of soil to the government craftsmen responsible for making the figurines.
The Fascinating Creating Process
Most of the Terracotta Warriors were made using the method of pottery firing. First, a clay mold was used to make the initial shape, and then a layer of fine mud was applied for processing, carving, and coloring.
Some were fired first and then assembled, while others were assembled first and then fired. And then they would be brightly painted to complete the production of terracotta warriors.
The firing temperature was even, the color was simple, and the hardness was very high. Each process had different divisions of labor and a strict work system.
Assembling Warriors from Separated Body Parts
The studies revealed that the terracotta army was made partly of a torso, arms, legs, and head separately and then assembled.
The body and arms of warriors are hollow, but the legs and feet are solid, which indicated that the craftsmen make the torso from the pedestal to the collar.
After engraving details of clothing, armor, and facial expression, install the head and assembled it into the life-sized warriors.
The Complex Firing Process
The clay figurines need to be fired at a high temperature of 1000℃ for a whole week to become "real" terracotta warriors. The kiln used to fire the pottery figurines must have an inner diameter of at least 2 meters to accommodate the full-sized warriors.
Coloring the Terracotta Warriors
The Terracotta Warriors were all originally brightly and harmoniously colored. During the excavation process, it was found that some of the terracotta figures still retained their bright colors when they were first unearthed, but due to oxidation by oxygen after excavation, the colors disappeared. What can be seen now are only the remnants of painted traces.
In order to make the colors on the Terracotta Warriors more even and hide the traces of clay, a layer of paint mixed with fresh pig's blood was applied to their surfaces. This was necessary because the paint had to be applied quickly to prevent it from falling off. Once exposed to air, the pig's blood would coagulate and help the paint adhere to the surface.
The next step was to add decorative colors to the Terracotta Warriors. To achieve the red, green, and black hues predominantly used on the statues, materials such as cinnabar, red clay, and azurite were ground and mixed with animal glue.
The layered painting process was complex and required different amounts of paint to be applied to different parts of the statue to achieve the desired effect. This meticulous approach ensured that the colors on the Terracotta Warriors would not easily fade or peel off.
Production of the Pottery Horses
The horse statues are life-sized about 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) in height and 2 meters (6.7 feet) in length.
The production of pottery horses is more complicated. Separately make the leg, body, head, neck, and tail of the horse assembled and covered with a layer of mud.
The most difficult part was carving tendons, pleats, hair, and horse ornaments in detail. And then cover one more layer of mud and glazing.
Summary: 6 Steps to Make a Terracotta Warrior
1. Getting the Clay
The clay can be found around the site. It was screened and ground to remove impurities, such as leaves, big stones, and rubbish.
2. Making the Parts Separately: Head, Torso, Hands, Arms, and Legs
Artisans used corresponding molds to make heads, torso, hands, arms, and legs. Straight arms, legs, and hands could be molded easily. Bent arms had to be made in separate pieces, dividing at the elbow.
3. Assembling Parts Together
All complete pieces would be attached together with mud.
4. Carving the Details
Technical artisans did careful carving to make the terracotta warriors more lifelike and vivid, with ears, mustaches, hair, clothes, and weapons.
5. Firing in Kilns
The complete models were put in a kiln and calcined until they were hard. The model had small holes in some places, making sure flames could enter the model's body cavities. And the models were placed upside down when firing.
6. Glazing and Coloring
On the surface, terracotta warriors were rough and uneven after firing. Artisans would glaze them and paint them with different colors to make them brighter and more natural.
Experiences to Make Terracotta Warriors
China Travel offers activities to experience how to make terracotta warriors with local artisans:
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