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3 Mistaken Reports of Terracotta Warriors’ Returning to Life

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Since being discovered, Terracotta Warriors have been surrounded by many legends and rumors. One of them is that these Terracotta Warriors were made of real human beings and they once returned to life. Is that true? Definitely not. All the 3 reports of Terracotta Warriors’ returning to life were mistakes.
 

1. Mistaken Report of Terracotta Warriors’ Returning to Life in 1974

The Terracotta Army was discovered by a group of farmers in March 1974 when digging a well. However, the archaeological team initially were unable to find their exact location in a row for more than half a month during the excavation.

One day, an old man in a strange costume suddenly appeared at the excavation site, asked the archaeologists if they had dug out anything, and left after being informed that they had not. The next day, the old man continued to come over and ask the same question. On the third day, after getting “no” answer, he did not leave like the previous two days, but took an archaeologist to a location, told him that there were clay figures under the ground. At first, the archaeologists did not believe him, but with the idea of trying, they dug in the place and found an army of terracotta warriors.

When the archaeologists wanted to thank the old man, they found that he had already gone. No one knew the man when the archaeologists asked the locals, and it was later rumored that the old man was a terracotta warrior returning to life. After the rumor spread, many archaeologists came out to refute it.
 

2. Mistaken Report of Terracotta Warriors’ Returning to Life in 1997

The second resurrection is said to take place in 1997, when archaeologists smelled a rancid smell while inspecting the terracotta warriors. Following the smell, they found several dead bodies in the pit, one of them holding the head of a terracotta army. The exact cause of death of the tomb raiders is unknown, followed by rumors that the terracotta warriors were resurrected to kill the invaders. In fact, this is only a bold guess, the truth of the matter is still a mystery.
 

3. Mistaken Report of Terracotta Warriors’ Returning to Life in 2006

The third resurrection took place in 2006. A German guy named Pablo was studying in Hangzhou when he heard about the terracotta warriors and became interested in them. After collecting detailed information about the terracotta warriors and horses, he went to Xi 'an alone to investigate the terracotta warriors on the spot and made a similar suit with terracotta warriors for him. After that, he successfully brought the cloth into the exhibition hall, quietly put on the clothes when there were a few tourists, and quickly jumped into the pit to stand with the terracotta warriors.

But Pablo's disguise was soon revealed, when visitors noticed that one of the terracotta warriors in the pit was different from the others, because his eyes can roll. The museum's security and local policemen rushed to arrest Pablo, who was eventually fined and handed over to the German embassy for education.

This case was actually a mischief, not the terracotta warrior returning to life.

Further Reading:
Were the Terracotta Warriors Made of Real Human Beings?
Let’s Smash the 5 Rumors of the Terracotta Army

- Last updated on Aug. 14, 2024 by Catherine He -