Thinking About the Need to Preserve Ancient Monuments in Their Natural State

The Terracotta Warriors were found on the 29th of March, 1974, in Xian China. Broken parts of a clay figure were found by local farmers as they were digging wells, which led them to the tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi.

The Details

So far around 600 pits have been discovered, across 22 square miles (57 kilometres squared). There are three main pits that are easily accessible, and are now inside the Museum of the Terracotta Army. There are approximately eight thousand soldiers in these pits. They all have individual details, through their faces, hair, or clothes, meaning none are, or were originally, the same. They were all buried with bronze weapons and were all originally painted, but most of the paint has chipped or disintegrated. They were also discovered with terracotta horses, also lifesize, and several war chariots.

The History

In 246 B.C. thirteen-year-old Ying Zheng took the throne. By 221 B.C. he combined a number of warring kingdoms, becoming the first emperor of Qin, Qin Shi Huang Di. He began construction of the tomb shortly after becoming emperor, but the majority of decisions would've been made by officials due to his age. He died suddenly in 210 B.C., causing the tomb to be sealed ahead of schedule. The potters who made the army included imperial and folk craftsmen, but once the emperor had died, all the craftsmen that were involved in the project were buried alive in the burial pits around the tomb. This was to stop the secrets of the Terracotta Army from being discovered.

There are three main reasons given as to why the Terracotta Army was built. The first is that it was to be an army that would protect the Emperor in the afterlife, so he would have the same treatment in the afterlife as he had while he was alive. He was also found with terracotta musicians, acrobats, and concubines, which could’ve been to entertain him in the afterlife. The second option is that they were built in honour of the army he used to unify China, displaying his glory. The last theory is that the Terracotta Warriors were substituting for actual human sacrifices. This is because, in earlier dynasties, human sacrifices were buried with the deceased rulers.

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The Present

The Terracotta Warriors are now listed as a world heritage site and are a major tourist attraction. Every year, more than 1 million tourists from all around the world visit the museum they are displayed in. Some reassembled warriors are displayed in their formation, while soldiers are also displayed as they were discovered, some standing up, some partly buried in soil, and some fallen on their backs. The Terracotta Warriors have also been displayed around the world, in 2019 going to Bangkok, Thailand, and Melbourne, Australia.

Restoration

There are several general guidelines for conservation, regarding what are ethical practices. These are firstly, respect for the integrity of the object, as regardless of condition or value, an artefact’s aesthetic, historic, archaeological, and physical integrity should be preserved. The second is that it is the conservator’s responsibility to make sure that treatment is only done within the limits of their professional competence and abilities. The third is that, regardless of value, all artefacts must receive the highest quality care. The fourth is that all treatments should be in the best interest of the artefact. For example, less expensive or time-consuming treatments should be avoided if there is a possibility of harming the artefact. The fifth reason is the principle of reversibility, as all treatments should be reversible, unless there is only one chance to preserve the artifact, which only has irreversible treatments. The sixth is that the amount of aesthetic restoration used to fix damage should be determined by the amount of understanding of the original. The seventh is that all conservators must continue to develop their skills so that the best treatment that the situation allows can be given, and the eighth is that they must supervise all personnel, trainees and volunteers under their direction. One of the main reasons ancient sites are preserved or restored is to help us understand the history and culture from before us and to increase respect for traditions other than our own. The Terracotta Warriors do this as they display an important part of the culture of Ancient China and display the customs of the time. This is done not only as we can no more about burial rituals, but also as the terracotta figures can demonstrate to people what soldiers and armies looked like, through reconstructed or preserved details. We can also learn about court life, through the other terracotta figures present. Another reason they are preserved is as they will attract tourists. This can be a good thing as it can provide more jobs for the locals living there, and can help improve the economic prosperity of the site. An example of this is how the tourists brought in to Xian by the Terracotta Warriors can provide business for local store owners, as they provide food or sell souvenirs.

One of the reasons as to why people are against the preservation or restoration of ancient sites like the Terracotta Warriors is because by doing so we are modifying the past, which can then hinder our understanding of ancient cultures. Also, as we stop sights from falling into ruin by replacing old material with new, eventually none of the original material will remain, meaning it is no longer the original. This is demonstrated through the restoration of the Terracotta Warriors, as the water in the statues is replaced with different chemicals, in some cases HEMA, to better preserve. The response to this is that eventually we will also be considered an ancient society, and thus the restoration would become part of the history of the original find.

Judgement

I believe that ancient site should be preserved or restored in their natural state, as they can provide valuable insight on ancient civilisations, and can unearth enlightening information about past cultures, making it accessible to a wider audience. Although there are fears regarding the consequences of these alterations to different artifacts, I believe that as long as the main guidelines regarding conservation continue to be followed, ancient sites will be treated with proper respect throughout the process of restoration.