An intriguing documentary about Qin Shi Huang’s clay army
China is a country full of ancient history that is still a mystery to many around the world. The Netflix documentary, Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors, narrates the story of Qin Shi Huang – the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of China. It also hones in on the mystery that surrounds his death and possible burial.
The documentary opens in 1974 when Sian peasants went to Mount Lishan and dozens of clay statues that resembled warriors. The film reveals that the statues were made of a clay material called terracotta and we see the documentary narrate the history of China during the time of Qin Shi Huang.
The film showcases testimonies from archaeologists who try to examine the different objects found during the excavation. These objects give the archaeologists a sense of what Qin Shi Huang’s dynasty was like and what truly happened after his death. The film goes on to detail that several human remains were found inside the tomb where Qin Shi Huang was buried.
Concubines to Qin Shi Huang’s family members, courtiers, servants as well as other people from the Qin dynasty were found buried alongside Qin Shi Huang. The documentary sees archaeologists dig deeper to find the truth about what happened after Qin Shi Huang’s death and end up learning more than they bargained for.
The film goes beyond the terracotta warriors as the archaeologists learn more about what happened after the death of the first Emperor of Qin. From pearls to gold, the archaeologists found more than just clay structures and skeletons in the tomb.
The film highlights the truth of one of the most powerful emperors of China and how his tomb came to be called the eighth wonder of the world. It also tries to explain how these warriors and the skeletons found inside the tomb were put there so that the first Emperor of Qin would have an army of soldiers and a band of servants with him in the afterlife.
Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors is an interesting watch and sheds light on the plight of the people who lived in China under Qin Shi Huang’s reign.
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Verdict - 8/10
8/10