With its tales of buried treasure and the elixir of youth, the
recent movie Myth has heightened interest in the mystical
Mausoleum of Qinshihuang (259-210 BC).
Starring Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan as an archaeologist, the
film focuses on what could be hidden within the tomb, which was
built more than 2,000 years ago.
But excavation experts have maintained the site will keep its
secrets for a little longer yet.
Though a number of riddles about the ancient mausoleum have been
handed down over the centuries, archaeologists are still reluctant
to decipher them by excavating the tomb.
"It is the best choice to keep the ancient tomb untouched,
because of the complex conditions inside," said Duan Qingbo,
archaeologist and researcher in the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeology
Institute.
Duan, who is also the head of the archaeological team working on
the ancient mausoleum, told China Daily that though some
historical records about the tomb have proved to be true, the
latest findings differ from older accounts.
After careful geological prospecting with advanced remote
sensing technology over the past five years, Chinese archaeologists
found that there are symmetrical stairways and wood-like structures
inside the tomb, which have never been described in any records
before.
"It is not the proper time to open the tomb at the moment, since
so many things still remain unknown," Duan said.
Duan's reluctance to open the ancient tomb is shared by other
Chinese officials and archaeologists. The State Administration of
Cultural Heritage also does not advocate the excavation of such
ancient tombs at present.
In accordance with the Protection Law of Cultural Heritage of
People's Republic of China, excavation on such ancient sites is
only allowed when they are threatened by natural disasters or
robberies, or meet with the requirement of national key
projects.
"An improper excavation will harm the cultural relics inside the
tomb," Zhang Bai, deputy director of the State Administration of
Cultural Heritage, said at the 15th Assembly of the International
Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) held in Xi'an in last
October.
"These cultural relics have been buried for more than 2,000
years in the grave and have achieved a state of equilibrium. If
they are excavated improperly and have no good technology for
protection, they will quickly turn bad when they are exposed to the
sunlight, oxygen and other things outside the tomb, and the
situation could grow out of control," Zhang said.
Zhang revealed that pieces of beautiful white ivory unearthed
from an ancient tomb in southern China turned dark and powdery
within 2 hours of being unearthed.
The Mausoleum of Qinshihuang, emperor of China's first feudal
Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), is located in the Lintong District of
Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and is one of
China's hottest tourism spots, attracting millions of visitors from
both home and abroad.
According to historical records, the mausoleum was built by more
than 720,000 people during 38 years, and the area of the inner part
of the tomb is about 2.13 square kilometers.
With pits that accompany the tomb, the total area of the
cemetery reaches 60 square kilometers.
In the emperor's underground palace, it is said mercury was used
to simulate the rivers and streams in his territory, and diamonds
and pearls were used to replicate the sun, the moon and other
stars.
Historical records say many traps were set to prevent it being
broken into.
"We found by a survey that the mercury density in Qinshihuang's
cemetery area is exceptionally higher than that in the area on the
periphery, and have confirmed that the mercury is coming from the
mausoleum," Duan said.
And archaeologists also discovered that the emperor's tomb was
built with a very effective drainage system, which stopped ground
water entering into the mausoleum. The system is similar to that
used in modern constructions.
"The cultural relics are well protected with the conditions
provided by the tomb's builders and improper excavation would mean
destruction," Duan said.
Michael Petzet, president of ICOMOS, considers that keeping
Qin's mausoleum untouched is the best way to protect the relics,
and also to respect the dead.
"Let Qinshihuang and his underground palace continue their deep
sleep," Petzet said at the 15th General Assembly of ICOMOS held in
Xi'an.
In March 1974, some terracotta warriors and horses were
unearthed near Qinshihuang's tomb by accident and the subsequent
archaeological excavation found three pits containing thousands of
life-size terracotta warriors and horses as well as a large number
of rare relics.
Now the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum receives
millions of visitors annually.
In the early 1990s, the local government applied to the central
government, without success, for approval to open Qinshihuang's
tomb.
(China Daily February 22, 2006)
