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Bright hues were important "because color was precious and a colorful army was the best, and an emperor could demand the best," said Blaensdorf. The sturdy terracotta and thick, eggy paint add to the conclusion that the army was also built to last. The mausoleum was even booby-trapped, "Home Alone"-style, with rigged crossbows to stop would-be thieves. Eighty master potters left their signatures on the terracotta figures. These names show some individuals came from the imperial court, while other artists appear to have been respected local craftsmen. Some official names overlap with those found on sewage pipes and floor tiles found in other locations, "so it seems there was an office for making pottery (within) the imperial court," said Blaensdorf. Erika Ribechini, a scientist in the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry at the University of Pisa, who did not work on the project, said the new findings "are very well presented." "Even though the terracotta army is very famous," she said, not much is known about it. Ribechini also said the egg discovery "is particularly fascinating in terms of its historical significance, because roughly in the same period, in the Roman Empire and in ancient Greece, the artists used to utilize egg as a binder in creating mural and stone paintings." The research is likely to help art restorers to repair and preserve the terracotta army. Related Links: Jennifer Viegas' blog: Born Animal Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor |
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