A rare Terracotta Warrior figure depicting a senior military officer has been discovered at the No. 2 pit of the Terracotta Warriors near the tomb of Qinshihuang, the first emperor of a united China, in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. This significant finding sheds new light on the military organization and structure of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC).

"This is the first figure of a senior military officer found at the No.2 pit since formal excavations began at the pit in 1994," Zhu Sihong, head of the excavation project at the No.2 pit, told the Global Times.

"Based on its location, we believe this figure was likely the highest-ranking military commander of this unit," Zhu noted.

The high-ranking officers, also known as the general figurines, are usually distinguished by their headdresses, intricate armor, with hands clasped in front of their bodies. The armor is adorned with detailed patterns, ribbons, and floral knots, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. Only 10 such figures have been found among the thousands of warriors unearthed to date.

All the Terracotta Warriors unearthed from pits No. 1 and No. 2, including the recently identified general figure, feature single eyelids, according to Zhu.

Zhu noted that the academic community has yet to reach a consensus on why the warriors predominantly feature monolid eyes. Two main hypotheses exist: Single and double eyelids might be linked to ethnic or racial traits, and most people during that era were believed to have single eyelids. 

Alternatively, single eyelids might have been chosen to convey a stern, serious expression suitable for military roles, contrasting with the more approachable appearance of double eyelids.

The painted general figurine's head has been extracted and is undergoing restoration, said Wang Chunyan, head of artifact conservation for the No.2 pit excavation project. Current restoration efforts include humidification, cleaning, and reinforcement.

Experts noted that extracting a painted figurine head requires special attention to detail compared to a standard figurine head to ensure that the painted surface remains undamaged. Before extraction, they also assessed whether the head's crown was tightly compressed against a terracotta horse to ensure neither got damaged.                                                                                                                                     

The excavation at the No.2 pit also uncovered two chariot remains, three clay horses, and three other terracotta figures. Experts explained that chariots usually came with four horses and three chariot soldiers. Since formal excavation of the No.2 pit resumed in 2015, archaeologists have identified formations made up of cavalry, crossbowmen, chariots, and mixed units.

In 1980, two bronze chariots and horses on the western side of the burial mound near the tomb of Qinshihuang were unearthed. When discovered, the artifacts were in over 3,000 fragments. The restoration process, which took eight years, has brought the bronze chariots back to their former glory, offering valuable insights into ancient chariot culture. 

Today, virtual technology has fully reconstructed the original form of one of the chariots.

The manufacturing process of the chariots was extraordinarily intricate. The two chariots consist of over 6,500 parts, utilizing 17 different connection methods. Some mechanisms feature exceptionally sophisticated designs, showcasing remarkable craftsmanship.

"The bronze chariots are adorned with extensive gold and silver decorations. For example, the reins are made by welding gold and silver tubes together, yet we still don't fully understand how such welding techniques were achieved at the time," Ma Shengtao, head of the exhibition department at the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, told the Global Times.

In 1974, local farmers accidentally unearthed clay fragments while digging a well, leading to one of China's most significant archaeological discoveries - the army of the Terracotta Warriors. This discovery was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors. Over the past five decades, archaeologists have excavated more than 2,000 life-sized terracotta warriors, along with bronze chariots, stone armor, and other artifacts, across three pits spanning over 20,000 square meters.

"Although we don't have an exact total number of Terracotta Warriors at this time, we can estimate it based on the excavation area and findings from Pit No. 1. About 6,000 terracotta figures and horses have been unearthed from No. 1 pit, and with pits No. 2 and No. 3 included, the total number is expected to approach 8,000," Li Gang, director the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, told the Global Times.

Square-shaped faces, rectangular faces, shield-shaped faces — how many different face types are represented in this ancient "underground army"?  

In ancient times, it was incredibly challenging for large-scale group sculptures to avoid a "one-size-fits-all" look. Yet more than 2,000 years ago, the Terracotta Warriors overcame this obstacle, achieving a truly unique individual portrait for each soldier. The diverse shapes of their faces not only reflect the aesthetics of the era, but also showcase the artisans' meticulous attention to detail in character depiction, according to CCTV.