This is one of the over 10,000 figures in the army of the Emperor Shihuang-di, and represents a charioteer. Note the outstretched arms that held the reins to the horses. The reins were leather and have deteriorated, but the positions of the hands makes his military rank quite clear. He also wears an articulated garment on his upper body. This was his armor. Metal plates were attached to each other with threaded rope, so the individual pieces would allow movement, without exposing this soldier to danger from arrows or spears. Note his elaborate hair style as well as the strap under his chin to hold on his helmet. These figures were made in terra cotta and formed in molds to create the basic body shapes. All the details of face, costume, hair, and hands were then hand modeled. The number of artist and workers and kilns needed to create these 10,000 figures is huge, and how this emperor was able to collect this much skilled labor in one place to accomplish this task attests to his power and single mindedness.
Charioteer from the Terra Cotta Army of the Emperor Shihuang-Di,
Qin Dynasty China, 210 BCE
