Bronze Chariots and Horses Exhibition Hall is located south to the
Terracotta Warrior Pit 2 . The two bronze chariots and horses in the exhibition hall are the earliest, largest, and most well preserved ones discovered in China.
Excavated
The Bronze Chariots and Horses were unearthed from the pit which is 20 meters west to the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang in Dec., 1980. The two bronze chariots and horses were buried 7.8 meters underground in an outer coffin. When digging out, the coffin has already decayed, the filling earth collapsed and the two bronze chariots and horses were all crushed. It is lucky that there was not found by tomb reaver, the components of bronze chariots and horses are almost complete. The two bronze chariots and horses are the earliest, largest, and most well preserved ones discovered in China. It has great significant on the research of the smelting and bronze manufacture technology and vehicle structure in Qing Dynasty.
Bronze Chariots and Horses
As one of the burial objects, the design of bronze chariots and horses was imitated the real chariots for Qin Shi Huang. The renovated bronze chariots are about half the size of the real ones. On the hood, and inner and outer of the chariots were painted with beautiful patterns. The gold, silver and jewelries on the two bronze chariots and horses weight 14 kg which shows they belonged to noble class.
The two bronze chariots and horses were numbered by which was unearthed first. The two bronze chariots and horses are single shafts, double round and driven by four horses. The two horses in the middle are called Fu Ma, which are the main horses. The other two are Can Ma, assisting the Fu Ma.
Color Patterns
The whole bronze chariots and horses were full of colored patterns. The main colors are blue, green and white. The eight horses are in white color, just nostrils, mouths are in pink. The officers on the chariots are in two layers’ color patterns. The inner layer is pink and the external is white, which stands out the texture of the skin. The hair is in blue dark, and the long robe is in sky blue. The color patterns on the chariots are taken white as the base color. The colors are elegant, pure and fresh. The patterns are dragon, phoenix, flow moiré, ling patterns and other various geometric patterns. The color patterns make the bronze chariots and horses more gorgeous and also covered the renovate traces, sand holes and other defects, and also it could slow down the oxidation process. Painting color patterns on the bronze wares was the creation of Qin Dynasty.
No. 1 Bronze Chariot
Measurement: 225 x 126 x 70 cm
The No. 1 bronze Chariots and horses has 4 horses. The chariot is in rectangle. The front angles are arc-shaped. It is the vanguard. There is only one seat for the driver. A high copper umbrella set on the chariot which could provide shade from the sun.
No. 2 Bronze Chariot
Measurement: 317 (long) x 106 (high) cm
The no.2 chariot is larger then the no.1. The carriage of the chariot can be divided into the front room and the back room. The carriage has board all round and has an oval roof. There are 3 windows: the front one and the other two on both sides. The door opens at the back. In the chariot, it just likes the soft sleeper in train.