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Farmers digging a well found an army of 8,000 clay soldiers.

Hidden HistoryEstablished

In 1974, farmers near Xi'an, China, struck pottery while digging. They had found the Terracotta Army, buried with China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, over 2,200 years ago. Each soldier's face is different.

Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.

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Rivers of mercury

An ancient historian wrote that the emperor's tomb held rivers of mercury. Soil tests above it show unusually high mercury levels.

Still sealed

The emperor's own burial chamber has never been opened. Archaeologists are waiting for methods that will not damage it.

Learn

  1. Painted originally. The soldiers were once brightly painted. Most colour flaked off within minutes of meeting the air.

Test yourself

Has Qin Shi Huang's burial chamber been opened?

No. It remains sealed.

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